Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!  For some of us, it’s a day of romance and celebration, for others of us it’s a day of panic and desperation — but for all of us, at the very least, we can agree that it is a day for chocolate.

To mark the occasion, Tina consented once again to put together a Special Choosy Beggars Video Presentation, featuring One Bowl Chocolate Pudding Cake!

Or, the way I describe it, “OH GOD GIVE ME MORE NOW.”

(Click here to leave a lovely YouTube comment!)

One Bowl Chocolate Pudding Cake

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup cold milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup toasted walnuts, optional but recommended
• 1 cup chocolate chips, optional, but of course you’re going to add them

• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder

Preheat the oven to 350ºF with your rack in the lower third.

Lightly grease a medium-large oven safe mixing bowl.  The best type of bowl is the kind that you can picture a granny cooking with in her kitchen; old, thick, robust ceramic pottery.

Sift the first 5 dry ingredients into the bowl.  Melt the butter and pour in the cold milk to bring the temperature down.  When it is warm but not hot, whisk in the eggs.  Stir the liquids into the dry ingredients just until they are barely combined.  Add in the walnuts and chocolate chips.

Stir the cocoa powder and brown sugar into the boiling water until it is combined. Pour this on top of the batter but do not stir.

Tuck the bowl directly into your oven and bake it for 30-35 minutes, or until it is set on top and the “sauce” is bubbling.  If your dish is deep or your oven runs cool, give it another 5-10 minutes.  The chocolate will be moist, soft, fudgy, saucy and utterly delicious under the cakey upper layer.

Serve this cake warm, if possible, with a hearty scoop of vanilla ice cream. However, it is just as good at room temperature for midnight snacks.