Big chocolate energy. Low effort. This Chill & Slice Brownie Cake stacks fudgy brownie, glossy pudding, and a fluffy cream crown. It’s giving birthday-dessert-meets-Netflix-snack, and we’re here for it. Bake the base, whisk the middle, whip the top, then refrigerate it. Three hours later? Sharp layers. Soft bite. Major wow. Keep it classic with chocolate curls or go extra with crushed cookies and a drizzle. It’s a cold dessert that loves potlucks, picnics, and “I forgot dessert!” moments, minimal dishes, maximum payoff, aka your new go-to chocolate dessert recipe. Let’s build this beauty.
Time Breakdown
- Prep: 25 minutes
- Bake: 22–28 minutes
- Chill: 3 hours
- Total: ~4 hours
- Servings: 16
Ingredients
Brownie Base
- 1 box brownie mix (18–19 oz / 510–540 g) + box additions
- Optional: 1 tsp espresso powder
Pudding Glow-Up
- 1 pkg instant chocolate pudding (3.9 oz / 110 g)
- 1¾ cups (415 ml) cold milk
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla, pinch salt
Creamy Crown
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tbsp (15 g) powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla
Toppings
- Chocolate curls, cookie crumbs, or micro chocolate chips
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
This recipe doesn’t require fancy gadgets, just a few reliable kitchen basics to keep everything simple and stress-free.
- 8-inch pan + parchment
- Bowls, whisk, spatula
- Hand mixer (optional)
- Measuring tools
- Peeler for curls, knife, rack
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Bake brownies; cool completely (speed-chill in fridge if needed).
- Whisk pudding, milk, cream, vanilla, salt for 2 minutes; rest 5 minutes.
- Spread pudding over brownie base.
- Whip cream with sugar + vanilla to soft peaks; pile on top.
- Add toppings (chips, curls, crumbs).
- Cover; chill 3 hours.
- Slice with a hot, dry knife; serve cold.
Pro Tips
- Extra shine: Add 2 tbsp chocolate sauce to pudding for gloss.
- Crunch factor: Sprinkle crushed wafer cookies between layers.
- Gluten-free route: Use a GF brownie mix; everything else is naturally GF.
- Party bites: Cut into 1-inch cubes and skewer with fresh berries.
Nutrition
| Serving Size | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fiber | Sugar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 square | 320 | 4 g | 40 g | 16 g | 2 g | 30 g |