Name: Québec Pouding Chômeur (Maple and Brown Sugar Pudding Cake)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 10 portions
Cuisine: Canadian
Ingredients: 180 g all-purpose flour; 150 g granulated sugar; 8 g baking powder; 2 g fine salt; 1 large egg, at room temperature; 180 mL whole milk, at room temperature; 75 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly; 5 mL vanilla extract; 300 g light brown sugar, packed; 180 mL pure maple syrup; 360 mL water; 30 g unsalted butter

A spoon lifts a piece of golden pouding chômeur above glossy maple and brown-sugar sauce in a wide baking dish. — A spoonful reveals the soft cake and syrup beneath it.

Prep 25 minutes

Cook 45 minutes

Total 80 minutes

Calories 400 kcal

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Québec Pouding Chômeur (Maple and Brown Sugar Pudding Cake)

Pouding chômeur is a Québec cake pudding baked with a syrup commonly made from brown sugar or maple syrup, water and butter. The French name is often rendered in English as “unemployed person’s pudding.”

The dessert is frequently associated with the economic hardship of the 1930s, though accounts of its origin are not conclusive. Recipes vary: some use brown-sugar syrup, some maple, and later versions may include eggs or other additions.

This contemporary home version combines brown sugar and pure maple syrup for a deep caramel flavor while keeping the defining cake-and-sauce method. It is one Québec-style recipe, not a single formula for every family or period.

Practical

Use a deep 23 × 33 cm baking dish, at least 5 cm deep. The syrup bubbles as it bakes, so set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet.
Mix the batter only until the dry ingredients disappear; overmixing can make the cake tough.
Bring the syrup just to a boil so the sugar dissolves, then pour it gently over the batter. Do not stir the layers together.
Oven and dish materials affect the bake time. Check the cake portion from 40 minutes onward; the centre should reach 74°C and the top should look golden and set.

Ingredients

For the cake batter

180 g all-purpose flour
150 g granulated sugar
8 g baking powder
2 g fine salt
1 large egg, at room temperature
180 mL whole milk, at room temperature
75 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
5 mL vanilla extract

For the syrup

300 g light brown sugar, packed
180 mL pure maple syrup
360 mL water
30 g unsalted butter

Directions

Method

Prepare the oven and dishHeat the oven to 175°C. Set the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any bubbling syrup.
Mix the dry ingredientsIn a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.
Finish the batterIn a second bowl, whisk the egg, milk, melted butter and vanilla until combined. Pour into the flour mixture and fold with a spatula just until no dry pockets remain. Spread the batter evenly in the ungreased baking dish.
Make the syrupIn a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, maple syrup, water and butter. Bring just to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat.
Pour and bakeCarefully pour the hot syrup evenly over the batter; do not stir. Transfer the baking sheet and dish to the centre of the oven. Bake for 40–50 minutes, beginning to check at 40 minutes. The top should be golden and set, and the centre of the cake portion should reach at least 74°C. A tester inserted into the cake should not show wet batter; syrup on it is expected.
Rest and serveRemove the dish carefully and rest for 10 minutes. The cake will sit above the sauce. Spoon portions into bowls with plenty of syrup from the bottom.

Practical

Serving

Serve warm as it is, or with a small spoonful of unsweetened cream. The dessert is rich, so modest portions are satisfying.

Make-ahead

For make-ahead preparation, measure and cover the dry ingredients up to 1 day ahead. Mix the batter and make the syrup just before baking; pour the syrup while hot and bake promptly.

Storage and reheating

Pure maple syrup gives this version its characteristic flavor. There is no direct substitute that preserves the same result; an all-brown-sugar version is a distinct variation.

Ingredient substitutions

Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Refrigerate within 2 hours of baking.

Serving and storage

Warm an individual portion in the microwave in short intervals, loosely covered, until hot throughout. To reheat a larger amount, cover the dish with foil and warm in a 160°C oven. Avoid boiling the sauce; it can become overly thick. If checking with a thermometer, reheat leftovers to 74°C.

Control points

The top browns before the middle setsLoosely cover the dish with foil and continue baking, checking the cake centre again.
The cake seems too softLet it rest for the full 10 minutes; the structure firms slightly as the syrup settles. Confirm the centre reached 74°C.
The syrup boiled overKeep the dish on the rimmed baking sheet and use a dish at least 5 cm deep next time.
The sauce is very thinLet the dessert stand a few more minutes. The syrup thickens as it cools; do not stir it into the cake.

Nutrition

Serving size1/10 of the dish
Calories400 kcal
Carbohydrate76 g
Protein3 g
Fat10 g
Fibre1 g
Sodium110 mg

Rounded estimate per one-tenth of the dish using generic ingredient composition values. Maple syrup, flour, butter and portion size vary by product and kitchen; the figure is not a laboratory analysis or a branded-product label.

Allergens and food safety

Contains wheat, egg and milk. Check labels for additional allergens and cross-contact statements. Bake the egg-containing cake portion until its centre reaches at least 74°C. Handle the boiling syrup and hot dish carefully. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat to 74°C if using a thermometer.

FAQ

Why is syrup poured over the batter?

During baking, the syrup moves beneath the cake and becomes the sauce, while the batter rises and sets above it. Pour gently and leave the layers unstirred.

Is maple syrup always used?

No. Brown-sugar syrup is also a recognized version, and recipes vary. This home adaptation uses both brown sugar and maple syrup.

Québec Pouding Chômeur (Maple and Brown Sugar Pudding Cake)

Bake a simple cake batter under hot brown-sugar and maple syrup until the cake sets above a glossy sauce.
Rest for 10 minutes, then serve warm with syrup spooned from the bottom of the dish.