Equipment Needed
- 9×13 inch baking dish (glass is my preference for even baking)
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring cups
- Spatula
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grab your 9×13 dish—no need to grease it, which feels like a tiny victory already. Now, for the satisfying dump. Into your large bowl, empty the entire box of dry cake mix and the entire box of dry pudding mix. Use your whisk to blend them together thoroughly. This isn’t just a casual stir; you’re ensuring the two powders become one uniform chocolate powerhouse. I learned this the hard way when I was lazy and ended up with a bite that was all pudding mix—it’s intense! Once combined, slowly pour in the cold milk. Start whisking immediately. You’ll watch the mixture morph from a dusty powder into a thick, glossy, and impossibly dark batter. The smell at this point is pure, undiluted chocolate promise.
Now, pour this luxurious batter directly into your baking dish. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl clean and spread the batter into a somewhat even layer. It will be quite liquid, and that’s perfect. Here comes the fun part: take your cup of mini chocolate chips and scatter them evenly over the entire surface like you’re sowing chocolate seeds. Do not stir them in! Let them sit proudly on top. As the cake bakes, they will partially sink, creating hidden molten treasures and a stunning, studded top.
This next step feels almost wrong, but it’s the secret to the texture. Take your stick of melted butter and, in a slow, steady stream, drizzle it evenly over the entire surface of the batter and chips. I use a spoon to help me distribute it in a loose zigzag pattern. You must resist the overwhelming urge to stir. The butter will pool and then slowly seep down through the layers. In the heat of the oven, it fries the top layer of cake mix, creating that irresistible, craggy, crisp, and buttery crust that contrasts with the fudgy interior below.(See the next page below to continue…)