Birthday cake chocolate pudding

Why have chocolate pudding, when you can have birthday cake chocolate pudding?!

Birthday cake chocolate pudding - with ladyfingers and vanilla whipped cream, inspired by Gilmore girls. | sugarsalted.com

Ohhhh, I cannot tell you how much I love chocolate pudding. It’s one of my favorite things to have for dessert or a lazy breakfast. I know it’s not a healthy choice, but sometimes I need something like that. If I can’t have pudding, then what’s the point?

Birthday cake chocolate pudding - with ladyfingers and vanilla whipped cream, inspired by Gilmore girls. | sugarsalted.com
Birthday cake chocolate pudding - with ladyfingers and vanilla whipped cream, inspired by Gilmore girls. | sugarsalted.com

I remember my mom making pudding quite often. Not on a weekly basis, but she definitely made it a lot compared to other treats, which were mostly reserved for special moments. And sometimes, on the rare occasion that we had some butter cookies at home, she stuck those cookies into the pudding.

That’s where the temptation kicked in, because I reaaaally wanted to eat that pudding right there on the spot, but the waiting is the whole point. It sucks, but it’s necessary. As the pudding cools and gets its distinctive texture, the cookies get softer and you end up with a cross between pudding and cake. Jackpot!

Birthday cake chocolate pudding - with ladyfingers and vanilla whipped cream, inspired by Gilmore girls. | sugarsalted.com
Birthday cake chocolate pudding - with ladyfingers and vanilla whipped cream, inspired by Gilmore girls. | sugarsalted.com
Birthday cake chocolate pudding - with ladyfingers and vanilla whipped cream, inspired by Gilmore girls. | sugarsalted.com

So when I was watching the 1.06 episode of Gilmore girls, where pudding was prominently featured, I decided to make a birthday pudding.

If you take birthday cake, you get layers of vanilla cake and cream and sprinkles, and maybe a few extra things, but in its essence that is what birthday cake is all about. And so I incorporated that into the pudding.

Birthday cake chocolate pudding - with ladyfingers and vanilla whipped cream, inspired by Gilmore girls. | sugarsalted.com
Birthday cake chocolate pudding - with ladyfingers and vanilla whipped cream, inspired by Gilmore girls. | sugarsalted.com
Birthday cake chocolate pudding - with ladyfingers and vanilla whipped cream, inspired by Gilmore girls. | sugarsalted.com

I am not one to be skimpy with chocolate in my chocolate pudding. This one is a double chocolate pudding, made with zero eggs, that uses both unsweetened cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate. The result is a beautiful, rich pudding that you’ll just want to stuff your face with. I mean, I do, and maybe you’re like me?? 

It is very rich, so you can leave out the cocoa powder if you’re not exactly a chocoholic but you still want something chocolaty. Or if you have more of a sweet tooth, just add some extra sugar, because while this pudding has sugar in it, it’s really not that sweet.

Birthday cake chocolate pudding - with ladyfingers and vanilla whipped cream, inspired by Gilmore girls. | sugarsalted.com
Birthday cake chocolate pudding - with ladyfingers and vanilla whipped cream, inspired by Gilmore girls. | sugarsalted.com

The “cake” comes in the form of ladyfinger biscuits, my favorite dunking cookies. They’re so airy and perfect for soaking up liquid (my choice is usually hot cocoa). Understandably, they’re used all the time when making tiramisu, but trust me and stick some in the pudding too. You can easily use other cookies, any buttery or vanilla cookie works.

The “birthday” portion is represented by vanilla whipped cream and sprinkles. Because nothing screams birthday more than sprinkles. Right?

Birthday cake chocolate pudding - with ladyfingers and vanilla whipped cream, inspired by Gilmore girls. | sugarsalted.com
Birthday cake chocolate pudding - with ladyfingers and vanilla whipped cream, inspired by Gilmore girls. | sugarsalted.com

If you’ve never had birthday cake chocolate pudding, now is the time for you to try it. I honestly love this more than regular chocolate pudding and I don’t say this easily. But there is just something about a big spoonful of rich chocolate pudding, spongy biscuits and whipped cream that makes me want to have more and more… and more.

Birthday cake chocolate pudding - with ladyfingers and vanilla whipped cream, inspired by Gilmore girls. | sugarsalted.com

Birthday cake chocolate pudding

A treat for the whole family!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

Chocolate pudding

  • 150 g 5oz bittersweet (50-55%) chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1 TBSP butter
  • 30 g 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 100 g 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
  • 20 g 3 TBSPs unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 720 ml 3 cups milk, preferably whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
  • 100 g 3.5oz ladyfinger biscuits, chopped

Whipped cream

  • 240 ml 1 cup whipping cream
  • 2 TBSPs powdered sugar
  • seeds from 1 vanilla bean pod
  • sprinkles

Instructions

  • Place chopped chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl. Set aside.
  • Sift cornstarch, sugar, cocoa powder and salt into a heavy saucepan. Slowly whisk in milk and stir until smooth. Place over medium heat and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is close to a simmer and is thick enough that it clings to the whisk. (Similar to thick batter. As it thickens, you’ll feel it get heavier as you stir.)
  • Remove from heat and immediately pour pudding over the chocolate. Add the vanilla and keep stirring until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and the pudding is smooth.
  • Pour some of the pudding into prepared pudding bowls. Add about 2-3 chopped ladyfingers to each one. Top with the rest of the pudding. If any cookies are peaking out, dunk them back in with a spoon.
  • Chill pudding until it’s set and cool to the touch, at least 3 hours. Cover bowls with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight, if need be.

Make whipped cream before serving:

  • In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine cream, sugar and vanilla seeds. Beat on lowest speed until medium-stiff peaks form. Spoon some whipped cream onto each pudding and top with sprinkles. Serve.

Notes

This pudding really isn't that sweet. It has a deep, rich chocolate flavor. If you want to make it sweeter or more kid friendly, add up to 50g (1/4 cup) more sugar to the mixture in the beginning. Or simply leave out the cocoa powder.
Recipe for the pudding adapted from my previousrecipe for chocolate pudding pie.
Course: Dessert
Author: Alice
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