Having a long list of different family favorite desserts, this Pennsylvania Dutch Chocolate Funny Cake is my absolute number one! I can remember my Grammy making this classic treat for many family get-togethers, church functions, and birthdays—like mine! Funny cake is part fluffy vanilla cake, part buttery, flaky pie crust, with a layer of chocolate in between. It may sound bizarre, but trust me on this one—it's very, very good!
What is a funny cake?
This is a question I get asked a lot whenever the subject of funny cake is brought up in a conversation. The Pennsylvania Dutch Chocolate Funny Cake is a moist, vanilla-flavored cake with a nicely swirled dark, golden brown top, with a gooey layer of chocolate below that's all baked in a homemade buttery flaky pie crust.
Where does the name funny cake come from?
According to Amish history—and from what I've heard—the "funny" comes from having a recipe that contains both a cake and pie together, as well as, when you pour the chocolate over top of the cake and it sinks to the bottom during baking. Whether you find that funny or not, it is VERY good!
how to make chocolate funny cake
This pennsylvania dutch chocolate funny cake treat is broken out into three parts: the homemade buttery, flaky crust, the vanilla cake top layer, and then chocolate bottom layer. When you're ready to assemble the funny cakes, place the pie plates onto a jelly roll pan or baking sheet. This will make it a lot easier moving them to the oven after you've added the cake batter and chocolate.
homemade buttery, flaky pie crust
Making the homemade pie crust is the first part to this chocolate funny cake recipe. If you're planning to purchase store-bought pie crust, then you can skip over this part.
The important thing to always remember when making pie crust is to make sure your butter, vegetable shortening, and water are all VERY COLD! The cold fats—butter and vegetable shortening—is what gives pie crusts that flaky texture, and the ice cold water allows the fats to stay cold and solid.
After you’ve finished making the pie dough, you’ll divide it up into two discs (approximately 1″ thick), then tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Place them in the coldest part of your refrigerator, which is usually the very back for a minimum of 1 hour before using them in this Pennsylvania Dutch Chocolate Funny Cake recipe.
vanilla cake top layer
The vanilla cake part of this recipe is made up of all-purpose flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, vegetable shortening, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk. If you don't have vegetable shortening, you can use butter in its place, but it may alter the texture of the cake. You'll mix this up first, then pour it into the unbaked pie shells.
chocolate bottom layer
The chocolate layer for this funny cake recipe comes together quickly. After making it, you'll pour it over top of the cake layer. During baking, the chocolate will move to the bottom of the funny cake. Don't worry, it won't go through the pie crust!
quick tips for making the best pennsylvania dutch chocolate funny cakes
- You'll need two, 9" pie plates for this recipe. I suggest either these pie plates from USA Pan Bakeware or Pyrex pie plate. For something a little pricier, this beautiful Emile Henry 9" pie dish are worth every penny! Or if you're planning to make a bunch, like I did, you can buy the aluminum pie pans!
- Because this recipe makes two funny cakes, you can either half the recipe and just make one - or - you can make both and give one away to a friend!
- After making the homemade pie crust, it's best to let it chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of one hour before using it for this recipe.
- If making the pie crust from scratch isn't your thing, you can use store-bought!
- I highly recommend placing both funny cakes on a baking sheet or jelly roll pan before adding the batter and chocolate. It really helps when moving them from the counter to the oven!
- I know it totally seems strange, but it's important to remember to pour in the chocolate layer over top of the cake layer. The chocolate will sink to the bottom of the pie during baking. When pouring the chocolate layer over top of the cake layer, I find it easier to use a Pyrex Glass Measuring Cup. This way you can monitor how much of the chocolate you've poured into each.
- If pouring the chocolate over top of the cake top layer sounds weird, you can always pour it into the unbaked pie shell and then add the cake batter. The top of your chocolate funny cake won't have that nice chocolate swirled top though.
recommended pie baking tools
Pennsylvania Dutch Chocolate Funny Cake
Author:Ingredients
homemade buttery flaky pie crust (makes 2, 9 inch pie crusts)
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- ½ cup Vegetable Shortening, cold and cut into cubes
- 4-6 tbsp Ice Cold Water, or until your pie dough can form a ball and is no longer crumbly
top cake layer
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 2 cups Granulated Sugar
- ½ cup Vegetable Shortening
- 2 Large Eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup Whole Milk
bottom chocolate layer
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- ⅓ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 cup Boiling Water
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
homemade buttery, flaky pie crust
- In a large mixing bowl and using a pastry blender (or two forks), mix together the all-purpose flour, salt, cold cubed butter, and cold vegetable shortening until you have small pea-size pieces. Some larger pea-size pieces are fine too! You can use a knife to clear out the pastry blender if it gets clogged as you mix everything together.
- Add in the ice cold water 1 tablespoon (tbsp) at a time, using a spatula or your hands until can form a ball and it is no longer crumbly. If there are any crumbly bits, just add the tiniest bit of water so they blend in with the rest of the dough.
- After forming the ball of pie dough, place it on a lightly-floured, clean surface and divide it in half using a pastry cutter. Pat each half into a 1″-1 ½″ thick disc, then double wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place them in the coldest part of your refrigerator (usually the back) for a minimum of 1 hour.
chocolate funny cake
- Adjust the oven rack to the 2nd level mark (just above center) and preheat the oven to 375º F.
- On a well-floured, clean surface, roll out one of the discs of pie dough you made earlier (or unroll if using store-bought) ) and carefully place into the 2, 9″ pie plates. Trim and crimp the edges to your liking, then place it back in the refrigerator as you make the cake and chocolate layers.
- For the top cake layer: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Set dry mixture aside.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed, cream the granulated sugar and vegetable shortening together until blended. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, and mix until combined.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and alternate between adding the dry mixture and milk. Mix together until just combined, then set aside.
- For the bottom chocolate layer: In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Slowly pour in the boiling water and add in the vanilla extract. Stir continuously until unsweetened cocoa powder is fully dissolved.
- Divide and pour the cake batter into the 2 unbaked 9" pie crusts, then divide and pour the chocolate layer over top of each. The chocolate layer sinks to the bottom during baking which then forms the thick chocolatey layer on the bottom. It also gives the top of your funny cake a nice chocolate swirl on top!
- Place the funny cakes in the oven side-by-side and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Mine baked for almost the full 50 minutes. I highly recommend using a x-large baking sheet or jelly roll pan to move the funny cakes into the oven and removing when done. It makes it a lot easier!
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before serving.
Recipe Notes
Jeanne Center says
I have an original copy of this recipe my mother cut from a magazine in 1953! Unfortunately I don’t know which magazine it came from. The date ‘September 1953’ is in one corner. Funny Cake was a family favourite when I was growing up. It was my daughter’s absolute favourite and now I make it for my grandchildren. I’d give it 10 stars if I could!
Jennifer says
Hi Jeanne! Thank you so much for sharing this with me! I absolutely love that you have an original copy! And I love that you continue to make funny cake for your grandchildren! I'm eternally grateful to my Grammy for sharing such a wonderful recipe with me, as I'm sure yours will be too!
yvonne adkins says
easy to make! i used a pre made crust, my husband loved it
Jennifer says
Thank you, Yvonne, for taking the time to make this recipe! I'm so glad he loved it!
Jan Hough says
Hi Jennifer - I subscribe to "Taste of Home" and saw your recipe for this Chocolate Funny Cake in the recent issue. In that recipe you used a 9" deep dish pie pan (you also increased the flour, etc...) Do you recommend the deep dish pie pan or the regular pie pan. I am well known in my family for over-filling pans and making a big mess in the oven - so I'm just checking before I make another mess. Thanks
Jennifer says
Hi Jan! Thanks for your question and for finding me via Taste of Home! The pie crust part of the recipe shown in the magazine, with the altered ingredient amounts and deep dish pie plates for the crust, is how they tested it.
I've only made them using regular 9" pie plates and the pie crust recipe I share here on the blog. I never had an issue of them overflowing, but you’re more than welcome to use their pie crust recipe for the deep dish plates! You can also use store-bought refrigerated pie crusts as well, if you wish.
Regardless of what pie plates you use. I do highly recommend placing them together on a large baking sheet after you've added the cake batter and before you pour the chocolate over the top. It will make transporting them in and out of the oven much easier. And if one of them would happen to spill over a little, the baking sheet would catch that.
After baking, the tops of them will more than likely be raised. As they cool, this will slowly go down a bit—this is totally okay! Hope this all helped! Please feel free to reach out with more questions.
Sharon Kiefner says
Can you replace the vegetable shortening with something else like butter in the cake? I never have it on hand, and never buy it.
Jennifer says
I haven't tried it, but you can substitute the vegetable shortening for butter (1:1 ratio). It might change the texture and taste slightly of the cake.
Barb says
Do I move the oven racks to the second spot from top or bottom? Should it be closer to top or bottom? Thanks.
Jennifer says
Hi Barb! Thanks for asking! It’s the 2nd level mark, just above center (towards the top). I’ll add that to the instructions shortly to clarify.
Mandy says
Does anyone know why my chocolate layer didnt sink to the bottom but stayed on top?
Jennifer says
Hmm, I’ve honestly never had that happen before! Did you make the recipe for 2 funny cakes or just 1? Maybe you inadvertently added too much of one of the ingredients?
Joy Loso says
I just subscribed to Taste of Home and saw this recipe in my first issue and just had to try it...I only had one deep dish pie plate so I divided the dough a little bigger on one and then decided I would only make one pie ( because I have no will power) and let me tell you that it was soooo delicious!! My husband cannot stop raving about it, and I love how some of the sugar from the chocolate stayed on top of the pie to carmelize, omg!!
Now that I have your website I am anxious to try some more of your recipes!!
I would post a pic of my pie if I knew how!
Do you think the other half of the pie dough would freeze ok??
Thanks for sharing your recipes!
Joy
Jennifer says
Hi Joy! I'm so happy to read this! Thank you for trying the recipe, it means a lot to me! The other half of the pie dough will freeze just fine. If it's not rolled out yet, just keep it in a disc shape double wrapped in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer bag. If it's already rolled out and placed into the pie plate, just carefully wrap the pie dough in plastic wrap (twice) and place it in the freezer.
Debbie says
Hi Jennifer! Just made your funny cake today and we loved it. My husband saw it on the counter and he looked at wondering what it was. He really liked it! I did too as it was different! I have one question - should it be refrigerated or not?
I can't wait to look at your other recipes.
Jennifer says
Hi Debbie! Thank you for much for trying the recipe! I’m so glad you and your husband loved it. As far as storing it, it can be kept out at room temperature covered with aluminum foil or a cake/pie carrier with a lid, and will keep for 4-5 days. Mine are usually eaten well before this though 🙂
Allison says
Thank you for this recipe! I lived north of Philly twenty years ago and fell in love with funny cake then. After moving back home to Colorado, I’ve tried numerous times to replicate funny cake without good success. Until now! It even worked at altitude!
Jennifer says
This totally made my day seeing this! Im so glad it worked out for you and you can enjoy funny cake again!❤️