Pouding Chômeur — Print Recipe

A beloved Quebec dessert of cake batter baked in a pool of hot maple syrup or caramel sauce, creating a magical inversion where the sauce migrates to the bottom.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup
1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x9-inch baking dish, then combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2 Add the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients, stirring until you have a smooth, thick batter with no lumps remaining.
3 Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish, smoothing the top with a spatula to create a uniform layer.
4 Heat the maple syrup and heavy cream together in a saucepan until just boiling, then carefully pour the hot mixture over the batter without stirring.
5 Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the cake has risen to the top and is golden brown, while the maple sauce has magically migrated to the bottom to create a gooey, caramelized layer.
6 Let cool for 10 minutes before scooping into bowls, making sure to get both the cake and the pooled maple sauce from the bottom, and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Did You Know?

Pouding chômeur means "unemployed person's pudding" and was created during the Great Depression by Quebec factory workers who made do with simple, cheap ingredients like flour, sugar, and maple syrup.