Sour Cream Pudding Cake Recipe For Old Fashioned Sweetness
Sour cream pudding cake recipe comes to life when comfort meets elegance in one of the most satisfying desserts to share at any gathering.
Rich textures and a moist crumb make every bite feel like a special occasion, even on the most ordinary Tuesday evening.
Serve it warm with coffee in the afternoon or dress it up as an after-dinner treat that never fails to impress.
No matter the season or celebration, pudding cakes have earned their place as a reliable crowd-pleaser that works for casual weeknights and special moments.
Make room on the dessert table for something that proves home baking can be both effortless and memorable.
Goodness Inside Sour Cream Pudding Cake
Which Ingredients Create Sour Cream Pudding Cake Taste
Dry Ingredients:Wet Ingredients And Mix-Ins:Topping And Sauce:Which Tools Belong in Sour Cream Pudding Cake
Easy Instructions For Sour Cream Pudding Cake
Get Your Oven Ready
Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and let it heat up while you gather what you need. Grab an 8-inch round casserole dish or soufflé dish that’s about 4 inches deep and leave it ungreased on your counter.
Mix The Cake Base
In a large bowl, combine these ingredients together:
Stir everything until the ingredients come together in a thick, lumpy batter.
Add The Mix-Ins
Fold 1 cup of raisins and 1/2 cup of chopped nuts into your batter using a spoon or spatula.
Make sure the fruit and nuts are scattered throughout, then transfer the entire mixture into your casserole dish and spread it out evenly.
Prepare The Topping Liquid
In a separate bowl, stir together 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1 1/2 cups of boiling hot water until the sugar dissolves completely.
Be careful with the hot water and work steadily.
Combine And Bake
Pour the hot sugar mixture directly over the batter in your casserole dish without stirring.
Place the dish in the center of your preheated oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the top turns golden brown.
Cool And Serve
Take the dish out of the oven and let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes so it cools slightly.
Spoon the cake into individual bowls or dishes, making sure to scoop up the liquid from the bottom and pour it over each serving. If desired, dust the top of each portion with confectioners sugar.
What Helps When Baking Sour Cream Pudding Cake
What Style Changes Suit Sour Cream Pudding Cake?
Favorite Ways To Serve Sour Cream Pudding Cake
A Quick Guide to Storing Sour Cream Pudding Cake
FAQs
Can I use a different dish instead of a casserole or soufflé dish?
A regular baking pan works fine as long as it’s about 8 inches round and 4 inches deep. The size matters because it affects how the cake bakes and how much sauce forms underneath.
What kind of raisins and nuts should I use?
Any raisins work – regular, golden, or even chopped dates if that’s what’s in your pantry. For nuts, walnuts or pecans are great choices, but use whatever you have on hand.
Do I need to grease the dish?
No, leave it ungreased. This recipe doesn’t need it, and the cake releases easily once it cools slightly.
Can I skip the confectioners sugar on top?
Completely up to you. It adds a nice touch, but the cake tastes just as good without it.
What if my brown sugar is hard and clumpy?
Break it up as much as you can before mixing it with the boiling water. The hot water softens any remaining lumps while you’re pouring it over the batter.
Why does liquid form at the bottom?
The brown sugar and boiling water create a sauce as the cake bakes. This is exactly what should happen – it’s what makes this pudding cake special.
Sour Cream Pudding Cake Recipe
- Total Time: 55 minutes-1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
Sour cream pudding cake is a foolproof dessert that comes together in one bowl with ingredients you already have in your kitchen. Once it bakes, the cake creates its own luscious pudding layer underneath, giving you that satisfying contrast between tender cake and creamy filling that makes people ask for seconds.
Ingredients
Dry ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
Wet ingredients and mix-ins:
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts
Topping and finishing:
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups boiling hot water
- confectioners sugar, to dust each portion (optional)
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and position a rack in the center.
- Grab an 8-inch round casserole dish or soufflé dish that’s 4 inches deep and leave it ungreased.
- Whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and a pinch of salt in your large mixing bowl.
- Add 3/4 cup sour cream and 2 tablespoons canola oil to your dry mixture, stirring until everything combines.
- Fold in 1 cup raisins and 1/2 cup chopped nuts until they’re distributed throughout your batter.
- Transfer your batter into the prepared casserole dish.
- Stir 3/4 cup brown sugar with 1 1/2 cups boiling hot water in a separate bowl until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour this hot brown sugar liquid directly over your batter in the dish – don’t stir it in.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the top turns golden brown.
- Remove the dish from your oven and let it rest for 15 minutes so you can handle it safely.
- Spoon your warm pudding cake into individual bowls, making sure to ladle some of the liquid from the bottom over each serving.
- Dust each portion lightly with confectioners sugar if you’d like that finishing touch.
Notes
- The sour cream keeps this cake moist and tender, so don’t skip it or substitute it with regular yogurt, as the texture won’t be the same.
- When pouring the brown sugar mixture over the batter, resist the urge to stir it in-it creates a magical pudding layer on the bottom as it bakes.
- Check the cake at 45 minutes since oven temperatures vary; it’s done when the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the cake portion (not the pudding below) comes out clean.
- This dessert tastes even better the next day after the flavors meld together, so feel free to make it ahead and reheat gently before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-55 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 334 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 215 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg

Wanda Hamilton
Founder and Recipe Editor
Expertise
Bold Weeknight Cooking, Pantry Powered Meals, Sauce and Spice Building, Seasonal Ingredient Swaps, Recipe Testing and Troubleshooting, Food Photography and Simple Styling
Education
- Degree: Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts
- Focus: Core culinary skills built through practical kitchen training, with a strong foundation for real service work.
National Registry of Food Safety Professionals (NRFSP)Wanda Hamilton, Founder and Recipe Editor, cooks from Savannah, GA with a “big flavor, low fuss” mindset. Trained in Culinary Arts at Bellingham Technical College and certified in food safety through the NRFSP, she blends professional skill with everyday practicality. Wanda is known for smart finishing touches that elevate a dish in minutes, along with rigorous testing standards and clear visual cues that remove the guesswork. Her goal is simple: make every meal feel like a small but satisfying upgrade to your day.