This Classic Malva Pudding is a South African baked sponge cake made with simple ingredients, apricot jam, and drenched in a sweet, creamy sauce, for the most comforting hot dessert.
More Dessert Recipes To Try
South African Bread Pudding
Hot Bread Pudding
It is seriously sweet and rich, just so you’re aware.
This baked dessert is vaguely reminiscent of traditional steamed puddings, with an obvious South African flavor and twist. And it makes the perfect cold weather dessert on lazy Sunday afternoons.
Traditionally it’s served with homemade vanilla custard sauce similar to creme Anglaise. The combination of the faintly spicy vanilla custard and the butterscotch sauce is something you need to try with your malva pudding!
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Ingredients Notes and Substitutions for Malva Pudding
Flour: All-purpose flour or cake flour is typically used for Malva pudding. It provides the necessary structure for the pudding. I wouldn’t recommend using other substitutes.
Sugar: White granulated sugar is standard for this recipe, adding sweetness and contributing to the texture. Brown sugar can be used for a deeper, molasses-like flavor.
Baking soda: Baking soda helps the sponge batter rise and gives it a light, fluffy texture.
Salt: A pinch of salt balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor of the pudding.
Kosher salt or sea salt also work in this recipe. If you’re using salted butter, you may want to reduce or omit the added salt.
Milk: I always use whole milk or similar for its richness and creaminess.
Eggs: Eggs provide firmness, moisture, and richness to the pudding. I don’t know how vegan egg equivalents would fare in this malva recipe.
Vanilla essence: Extract, pods, vanilla bean paste, or even vanilla sugar would be good swap outs, but you’ll need to figure out how much you prefer to use.
Butter: Adds richness and a brown butter flavor to the pudding. Oils wouldn’t be suitable as substitutions here.
White vinegar: The vinegar helps the pudding rise, and adds a subtle tang to balance the sweetness of the moist sponge batter.
Apricot jam (jelly): Apricot jam gives the pudding its characteristic fruity sweetness and moisture. I haven’t tried other stone fruit jams (peach or plum) in this recipe, but I’m sure they’d be just as good!
How to make Malva Pudding
Step 1: Add Dry Ingredients
Place the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add Wet Ingredients
Add in the milk, eggs, vanilla, melted butter, white vinegar, and apricot jelly, and whisk the mixture until just combined.
Step 3: Bake
Bake the batter in the oven for about 30 minutes until fully cooked through.
The baked pudding is done when the top is deep brown, and a toothpick, skewer, or knife pierced into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Recipe Tips for Making Malva Pudding
This easy malva pudding recipe is one of the simplest I’ve ever come across, but these recipe tips will help you get the best results every time.
Be sure not to overmix the batter, or you’ll end up with a dense pudding, instead of a firm sponge texture.
Prepare the sweet, creamy, buttery sauce while the malva pudding is in the oven.
Pierce plenty of little holes in the baked malva with a fork or toothpick immediately after removing it from the oven.
Pour the milky butterscotch sauce evenly over the pudding, starting at the sides and making your way towards the middle, to avoid oversaturating the center of the pudding.
The syrupy sauce will soak into the holes and lightly saturate the whole pudding.
If you don’t use up all of the butterscotch syrup, you can store it in the fridge and use it as a topping for pancakes for your breakfast the next day!
Malva Pudding Storage
Store homemade Malva pudding covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
To reheat, warm individual portions in the microwave or the entire pudding in the oven until heated through.
Will you give this malva pudding recipe a try?
Questions? Let me know in the comments!
South African Malva Pudding
Ingredients
For the pudding:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
- 1 Tbsp melted butter
- 2 tsp white vinegar
- 3 Tbsp apricot jam
For the sauce:
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- ⅓ cup water
Instructions
For the pudding:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the milk, eggs, vanilla, melted butter, white vinegar, and apricot jelly to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter into a greased baking dish and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
- Poke holes in the pudding and start preparing the sweet, milky sauce.
For the butterscotch sauce:
- Add the butter, sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla to a saucepan on low heat.
- Stir continuously until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
- When the sauce starts to bubble, add the water and turn off the heat.
- Pour the sauce over the hot malva pudding, starting at the sides and working towards the center.
- Serve with homemade custard sauce or vanilla ice cream.
