The Best Pennsylvania Dutch Funny Cake Recipe

Is it a cake? Is it a pie? It's a Pennsylvania Dutch Funny Cake, and it's about to be your new favorite easy baking recipe. This "funny" dessert features a gooey chocolate bottom and a soft yellow cake top, all baked inside a buttery pie crust. Whether you call it a Mennonite Funny Cake or just plain delicious, this simple, one-pan dessert is a nostalgic classic that hits the spot every single time.

As far as homemade pies (and cakes!) go, this dessert recipe is incredibly easy to make. Using a store-bought premade pie crust saves you time and effort--plus you only need a few simple ingredients for this impressive, yet budget-friendly, dessert.

What sets this version apart from many traditional recipes is the placement of the homemade chocolate syrup. In this recipe, you pour the syrup directly onto the bottom crust. This creates a rich, fudgy layer where the flavor tastes best. You get more of a rich, chocolaty flavor this way--and honestly, who wouldn't want that 😁?

This unique Pennsylvania Dutch funny cake will be the talk of your next social. Most people have never seen a fluffy cake baked directly on a pie crust! It's a nostalgic treat that surprises everyone who tries it.

For another delicious Pennsylvania Dutch dessert, see Dutch Apple Crumb Pie.

🥘Ingredients For Pennsylvania Dutch Funny Cake

Pie and Chocolate Base:

• pie crust- one refrigerated premade crust (or make your own); do not pre-bake the shell for this recipe
• sugar- granulated white sugar to sweeten the homemade chocolate syrup
• unsweetened cocoa powder- Hershey's cocoa powder is recommended for the best chocolate flavor
• hot water- use very hot water to help dissolve the sugar and cocoa together
• pure vanilla extract- adds deep flavor to the chocolate base and the cake topper

Cake Batter:

• flour- spoon into measuring cup and gently level off for best results
• sugar- I use pure cane sugar
• baking powder- leavening agent to help the cake layer rise
• butter- soften at room temperature for easy mixing
• egg- one large egg, slightly beaten, to provide structure to the sponge
• milk- whole milk or skim milk works perfectly for this Pennsylvania Dutch dessert

🔪How To Make The Best Pennsylvania Dutch Funny Cake

1. Step 1: Mix the sugar, cocoa, hot water, and vanilla to make the chocolate syrup; pour into unbaked pie shell.

2. Step 2: Mix the dry cake ingredients; cut in softened butter; add wet ingredients and stir until just blended; spoon over syrup.

3. Step 3: Bake.

4. Step 4: Allow to cool before slicing and serving.

Hint: Allow the cake to cool for at least one hour before slicing. This resting time lets the chocolate syrup layer set perfectly at the bottom. Your patience ensures clean slices and the best possible texture for this dessert.

Don't forget to use an aluminum foil pie crust shield so your pie crust doesn't burn and stays golden!

📖Funny Cake Variations

• Chocolate Chip Funny Cake: Before baking, add ½ c. mini chocolate chips on top of the cake batter. This makes the cake more chocolaty and kid friendly.
• Mocha Funny Cake: Do you love the taste of rich coffee? Swap out the hot water in your chocolate base for hot brewed coffee. This simple trick instantly creates a deeply delicious mocha flavor.
• Peanut Butter Funny Cake: Chocolate and peanut butter are a truly perfect match. Simply sprinkle a half cup of peanut butter chips over your cake batter right before baking.

🍽Equipment Needed

• 9 inch pie dish
• 2 medium mixing bowls
• mixing spoons
• measuring cup
• measuring spoons
• pastry cutter (for blending the butter and dry cake ingredients)

🍶Storing Your Pennsylvania Dutch Funny Cake

Store your funny cake in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also cover the pie dish tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. This traditional dessert stays fresh and delicious for up to five days.

There is no need to refrigerate this cake unless your kitchen is very warm. Keeping it on the counter maintains the soft texture of the cake and the gooey chocolate base. If you prefer it warm, simply reheat individual slices in the microwave for ten seconds.

You can freeze the whole pie or individual slices for up to two months. Place the dessert in a freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw the cake at room temperature before serving to your guests.

🗨️Pennsylvania Dutch Funny Cake FAQ

🥄More Chocolate Dessert Recipes

Looking for other chocolate dessert recipes like this? Try these, or head over to our from-scratch desserts and easy desserts pages:

🍴Easy Weeknight Meals To Enjoy With Funny Cake

These are my favorite easy weeknight meals to serve with the best Pennsylvania Dutch Funny Cake:

📋Recipe With Step-By-Step Instructions

The Best Pennsylvania Dutch Funny Cake Recipe

Kitchen Ready Betty

This homemade Pennsylvania Dutch dessert features a fluffy golden cake baked over a rich, fudgy chocolate syrup base. It is a unique and easy treat that perfectly combines the best parts of a pie and a cake.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Resting time (for best results) 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 55 minutes mins

Course Desserts

Cuisine Pennsylvania Dutch

Servings 8

Calories 374 kcal

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Ingredients

  

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Pie and Chocolate Base

• 1 refrigerated pie crust unbaked
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder Hershey's recommended
• 6 tablespoon hot water microwave it so it's extra hot
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cake Batter

• 1 cup all purpose flour spooned and leveled
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ cup butter softened at room temperature
• 1 egg slightly beaten
• ½ cup milk I typically use skim
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Arrange pie crust dough into a 9 inch pie plate. Carefully mold the dough to your dish by gently pressing it down with your fingers. Make sure that the dough is smooth and that there are no air bubbles.
• In your first bowl, mix ½ cup sugar and the unsweetened cocoa powder.
• Add the microwaved hot water and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract. Stir gently. The mixture will be fairly runny and a little bubbly. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients togther for the cake topper (1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon baking powder).
• Next, add the softened butter. Use a pastry cutter to blend the butter with the dry ingredients.
• Slightly beat 1 egg, then add to the bowl along with the remaining ½ cup milk and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix until just combined.
• Pour the chocolate liquid mixture into the crust. There should be enough liquid to cover the bottom.
• Next, spoon the cake batter on top of the liquid; spread the batter to the crust's edges.
• Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake topper comes out clean.
• Allow the pie to cool for 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Notes

Carefully spread the cake batter over the chocolate syrup to the edges of the crust. Do not mix the batter with the chocolate syrup layer below it. This layering technique ensures your dessert bakes evenly with a perfect fudgy bottom.

Allow the cake to cool for at least one hour before slicing. This resting time lets the chocolate syrup layer set perfectly at the bottom. Your patience ensures clean slices and the best possible texture for this dessert.

Some of our favorite Funny Cake toppers are a scoop of vanilla ice cream or Easy Homemade Whipped Cream.

Store at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months (see above post for more info).

Don't forget to use an aluminum foil pie crust shield so your pie crust doesn't burn and stays golden! Use the pie shield for the first 20 minutes of baking, then remove.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 374kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 5gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 200mgPotassium: 112mgFiber: 2gSugar: 38gVitamin A: 232IUCalcium: 63mgIron: 2mg

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_{Please note that nutritional information is provided by a third party service and is intended for guidance purposes only. KitchenReadyBetty.com makes no claims to its accuracy.}