Note: Since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, I’m bringing up this chocolate wonder from the step-by-step archives. Serve this with your V-Day dinner! I absolutely loved it. –Ree
The second I read the name of this recipe, I just knew I had to make it. First of all, I love any recipe with either “mystery” or “surprise” in the title. Second, I love any recipe with “mocha” in the title. It means good things will happen.
So “Mystery Mocha?” Count me in!
I thought it was funny that halfway through the printable recipe, the submitter (thanks, Larry!) warns us that “this will look TERRIBLE”. You’ve got to love the honesty!
But no matter what it looks like halfway through, the end result is all that I wanted it to be…and more. It turns out a little bit like a lava cake or baked fudge, but with a lovely coffee undertone. I served mine with freshly whipped cream and absolutely loved every bite. This is a treasure!
Here’s how you make it.
Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate in the microwave for about 45 seconds.
Stir it until the mixture is totally melted and smooth.
Sift together sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate container, mix together the milk and vanilla. Set aside.
Mix together the sifted mixture, the chocolate mixture, and the milk/vanilla mixture.
Stir it together until all combined, then spread in a thoroughly greased square pan. Mine was about 6 1/2 x 6 1/2, but 8 x 8 would work fine.
Now, this is where it starts getting weird. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, brown sugar, and cocoa powder.
Stir it to combine…
Then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the cake batter.
Interesting! What does it all mean?
After that mixture is evenly sprinkled and distributed, pour cold coffee all over the top. I didn’t have any coffee made, so I mixed instant coffee crystals in a cup of water. And I made it very strong: two heaping tablespoons of coffee! We’ll see how it turns out.
This would definitely be the part in the recipe where Larry warns “it will look terrible!” I don’t think it looks terrible at all, though…just curious!
Bake for 40 minutes on 350 degrees, then remove from the oven.
And this…THIS is what it looks like!
Oh my word. Oh my.
It’s funny—until I scooped into it, I didn’t realize this would be a lava-type cake. It was a nice surprise!
Gorgeous! And it smells so, so good.
I whipped some cream and plopped it on top.
And this turned out to be a very good move.
The Verdict: This was absolutely delicious. If you use very strong coffee, the flavor will really come through and result in a very rich mocha flavor. This would be perfect for company—so easy to make!
Thank you, Larry, for sharing such a yummy recipe.
Printable Recipe
Print Options
Description
My mother’s secret recipe, no longer secret! Decadent chocolate cake with mocha pudding inside. For chocolate lovers, this is a ten.
Ingredients
- ¾ cups Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup Sifted All-Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- ⅛ teaspoons Salt
- 1 piece Unsweetend Chocolate (1 Square)
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- ½ cups Whole Milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ cups Brown Sugar
- ½ cups Granulated Sugar (additional)
- 4 Tablespoons Powdered Cocoa (Not Drink Mix)
- 1 cup Cold Strong Coffee
Preparation Instructions
Sift together 3/4 cup sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Melt square of unsweetened chocolate and butter in the microwave. Add to dry ingredients alternately with the milk and vanilla. Blend. Pour into a greased 8×8 pan.
Combine brown sugar, the 1/2 cup additional granulated sugar and cocoa powder. Sprinkle over the cake batter. Pour the one cup COLD coffee on top. This will look TERRIBLE. Bake 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Serve warm with ice cream or sweetened whip cream or whipped topping. This will serve 8. In a 9×9 square pan, you can cut 9 pieces. Best served warm.
131 Comments
Comments are closed for this recipe.
Nina on 7.27.2010
I just “created” this cake yesterday. It’s delish!!! The warm and fluid inside is just so soooo good! I served it with vanilla ice cream. I’m in love with Mystery Mocha
Michael Cavinta on 7.20.2010
Awesome recipe! I tried to make this one out and I think this one is excellent! I have always loved mocha and this recipe made me love it more. I made this using my dual coffee maker and the recipe turned out to be amazing. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Beth Bates on 7.11.2010
Thank you for sharing this decadent treasure! I served it tonight for a kitchen warming party with some ladies to celebrate the completion of my kitchen remodel, and it was a hit! I was skeptical to read that it was going to be “easy,” but it really was a snap to prepare, and SO. DELICIOUS. I only wish my photography would capture the beauty of the dish the way yours does! Thanks!
Amanda on 7.5.2010
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Now, please explain how to refrain from eating the entire pan in one sitting.
Dani on 6.28.2010
This sounds like heaven to me! I am definitely going to try it this week!
Thanks for sharing
Cathy Cunningham on 6.27.2010
Sounds incredibly yummy – I think I’d have to have vanilla ice cream with that….whipped cream wouldn’t even do it for me.
LOVE your dishes….PLEASE tell us what they are????????
zoe nairobi on 6.25.2010
Made this last night. halved the recipe and used 4 ramekins. Didn’t have brown sugar so just used regular sugar, didn’t have cocoa so used hot choc mix, didn’t have baking chocolate so just used one from a swiss choc bar that i had lying around. so way off but still super delicious. served with a scoop of vanilla icecream while it was still piping hot..ohh lawd…heaven. Asante!
Lynda on 6.24.2010
This was dessert tonight. Very easy to make and totally worth it. Very decadent so it will be an occassional thing but I could eat it daily! I used instant espresso, very strong for the coffee and DARK brown sugar to make it a bit richer…not that it needs it. This is a ‘highly recommend’ if you want to impress!
Robin on 6.24.2010
OMG that sounds totally yummy. Notice i didnt say looked yummy. Although it did loook different i cant wait to try this
Gammaroobob on 6.24.2010
It was SO EASY and delicious – gave it away to the hungry college kids, but did manage one very large bite! Thanks for the recipe!
Momof2Boys on 6.24.2010
Made this last night…I only had semi-sweet chocolate and we served it w/ vanilla ice cream. It was delicious!
teejay on 6.24.2010
you can sub 2 T veg oil and 2T cocoa for a square of Baker’s unsweetened Chocolate, if you don’t have the bars in the cupboard. I’ve been making my Baker’s brownie recipe this way for years. I sneak in extra cocoa.
I’v never had pudding or molten cake before; do the gooey innards taste raw? (SO not a fan of raw dough).
Trish on 6.24.2010
Just took it out of the oven, can’t wait to dig in!! It was super easy to make!
Tiffany on 6.23.2010
That. Looks. Awesome. Must. Make. Now!
Kathy Hardgrave on 6.23.2010
What a great website! My first visit and it won’t be my last!
My go-to never fail recipe?! Apple Blueberry Crunch….my daughter in law and my son in law are CRAZY about it! even moreso than my husband, son and daughter!
missmolly on 6.23.2010
This is the first meal I made for my family at the age of 6 (with assistance from my 9yo brother who made apricot chicken for main course). We used to call it ‘chocolate self-saucing pudding’ and made it with boiling water not coffee, and with nuts in the batter. My parents taught us to read recipes by pointing out that ‘teaspoon’ and ‘tablespoon’ have the word ‘poo’ in the middle, which appealed to our tiny minds! I now make this for my own family – still a favourite! Thanks for the memories!
linnie on 6.23.2010
I made this yesterday – it was a comedy of errors – considering how hard I tried to ruin this – the end result was delicious…and better with a scoop of ice cream
Shari on 6.23.2010
Perfect – I have my BFF’s coming for coffee and cake this evening and was just looking for an interesting unusual receipe!
It will be my surprise gift to them!
Tezza on 6.23.2010
You are a seriously evil woman.. you do know that don’t you? I am now sitting here drooling just from looking at the pictures and can NOT wait to try making this!
staceycooks on 6.23.2010
This sounds amazing. I’m trying it this weekend for sure!
Delicieux on 6.22.2010
This looks so decadent!!!!
Sanjeeta kk on 6.22.2010
Wow! so succulent and tempting. A must try to believe.
Nice to be here.
Brenda F on 6.22.2010
It’s made the same way as Betty Crocker’s Hot Fudge Pudding Cake that I grew up eating. The ingredients are a little different but this sounds like a wonderful variation. We love ours served with ice cream on top and the pudding drizzled over. Can’t wait to try this!
Katie on 6.22.2010
I’ve made this one too, called Pudding Cake. It’s amazing! Thanks for the reminder.
Married to an Aussie in OK on 6.22.2010
DH would love this, too. He loves lava cakes, coffee, and chocolate, so this would be a HUGE hit with him. I’ll have to surprise him with it sometime!
Pamela Karp on 6.22.2010
I’ve also been making this for years, only as “Chocolate-upside Down Cake”. Put a little hot fudge sauce on top of the vanilla ice cream with it as well!
Selina on 6.22.2010
Ooh! Just like “Granny’s Chocolate Cobbler”, which has become my favorite dessert since you made it here…. only this one has coffee flavor! Yum!
Susan B on 6.22.2010
I LOVE anything that resembles “weird” – so you saying it would look terrible 1/2 way through made me want to try it all the more (never mind the chocolate & coffee!!!) Looks delish and my birthday is this weekend, so I’m going to see if my mom will make it for me (I’d ask hubby to make it, but I’d still have to buy all the ingredients and “supervise”)
thanks!
Heather Clements on 6.22.2010
I’ve made this as chocolate pudding cake, like some of the others. Didn’t call for coffee, though, that’s an interesting twist. You think it’s good with whipped cream, you ought to try it with ice cream!
Lynn on 6.22.2010
I will not be happy until I make this.
Mokihana on 6.22.2010
I have a recipe for chocolate pudding cake that’s made just like this except for the coffee. Which I will now use. Because I love mocha. And I need this cake. Right. Now.
Jackie and Alyssa on 6.22.2010
Just made it. It’s in the oven cooking! Can’t wait to eat it:) Looks veryy good:)
Georgia Pellegrini on 6.22.2010
Wow, that looks fantastic. I’m off to the store now to buy some chocolate…and coffee…and…everything on that list
NRLong on 6.22.2010
Oh, Lord. There goes my diet. I’m dying from those photos.
Amanda W. on 6.22.2010
Yummy yummy for my tummy! Looks delicious, must try this soon!
LesPlaisirs on 6.22.2010
Hello from Down Under. What a temptation. Too hard to resist. Love your site. Will keep tuned.
Kind Regards,
Les PlaisirsduPlat
(Pleasures of the Plate)
Lydia on 6.22.2010
Yup! I’ve been making this cake for 40 years as chocolate pudding cake. It is a definite go to for a quick chocolaty dessert . It’s one of my family’s favorite!!!
Christy on 6.22.2010
We made this all the time as a kid and called it “hot fudge pudding cake”. It is amazing fresh out of the oven…but put a piece in the microwave for 15 seconds, dollop on the vanilla ice cream and you have a perfect dessert anytime!
Helen on 6.22.2010
We make one like this and call it Devil’s Float! Instead of coffee we use hot water and put pecans in the cake batter part of it and bake it in a dutch oven when we go camping. It’s even good cold the next morning.
Jennifer on 6.22.2010
Looks so good! Love the blue plate too! I collect blue and white. Who made it?
Karen on 6.22.2010
mmmm, i want to go to there!
Kari Anne on 6.22.2010
That sounds YUMMY… I think I have everything in the pantry that it calls for… I may just make this for tonight…
Manu Miranda on 6.22.2010
OMG! Ugly? Maybe. Delicious? Of course!!!
I’m trying this one next weekend =D
Thanks
Margaret on 6.22.2010
Reminds me of EarthQuake Cake. Yumm!!
Mary M Taylor on 6.22.2010
So easy and all ingredients is things normally kept on hand..I used instant coffee as well …YUMMY…..
Misti Kallas on 6.22.2010
It is on like Donkey Kong!!!!!!!
callimakesdo on 6.22.2010
My mom used to make something like this. I loved the chewy crunchy top with the chocolaty syrupy middle. She didn’t use coffee though. And since coffee makes any chocolate all the better, I bet this is amazing. I can’t wait to try.
--Vee on 6.22.2010
There’s a recipe in the Betty Crocker cookbook for something like this (with just water though, not coffee) called “Hot Fudge Cake.” Mom used to make it all the time when we were growing up. Really good with a little vanilla ice cream.
Leah. on 6.22.2010
Oh. My. I must make this.
Michele on 6.22.2010
Oh my goodness. This looks A-MAZING. Thanks for posting this…I’m so excited to try this!