Maybe you need a dessert to serve for your African-themed party. Or perhaps you want to indulge in a decadent and sinfully delicious dessert. In any case, this Malva pudding cake will satisfy both your needs and desires. So, what is Malva pudding? It is a baked sweet pudding cake from South Africa with a caramelized exterior and spongy interior. We soak it in a warm butter sauce as soon as it comes out of the oven. Then, we serve it with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. I’ll never forget that warm, buttery taste the first time I took a bite of this moist and decadent dessert. When I found a great recipe in Marcus Samuelsson’s cookbook, “The Soul of a New Cuisine,” I knew I had to recreate this heavenly treat. And after tweaking it a little, it tasted like the one we made, but even better.
Recipe Ingredients
How to Make Malva Pudding
Make the Cake
Liquid Ingredients – In a large bowl, beat eggs, orange zest, sugar, butter, and apricot jam until light and fluffy. Then, add the vinegar and milk to the egg mixture. (Photo 1) Dry Ingredients – Sift flour, baking soda, and salt in another mixing bowl. (Photo 2) Make Batter – Gradually fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture. The mixture might be runny, and that’s ok. Pour the pudding cake batter into a greased pan. (Photos 3-5) Bake the cake at 350℉ (175℃) until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. It should take about 25-30 minutes. (Photo 6) Butter Sauce – While the cake bakes, heat the evaporated milk, butter, sugar, and almond and vanilla extract in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted. Remove the sauce from the heat. (Photos 7-8)
Assemble the Pudding
Prep Cake – Using a skewer, poke holes in the baked cake all the way to the bottom. Serve – Then, pour the butter sauce on the cake. Serve immediately. Or let it cool and store it in the fridge if you plan on serving it later. Enjoy! (Photos 9-10)
Recipe Variations
Tips and Tricks
Make-Ahead Instructions
Feel free to make this a day or two ahead of time. Keep it covered in the fridge until ready to serve it. You can also freeze Malva pudding as a whole cake or as individual slices. Wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Thaw Malva pudding in the fridge the day before serving.
Serving and Storage Instructions
I love serving it warm, so enjoy a freshly baked slice (or two) while it’s still hot. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container. Some prefer heating it up a few seconds in the microwave, and others enjoy it chilled.
What Goes With Malva Pudding
Malva pudding goes amazingly with different toppings. Fresh fruit, grilled pineapple, caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, vanilla ice cream, and whipped cream all take the experience over the top. And a hot cup of ginger tea pairs well with the apricot flavor. 🤩
More Amazing African Desserts to Try
Conclusion
One bite of Malva pudding, and you’ll be packing your bags and buying yourself a one-way ticket to South Africa! Well, maybe not a one-way ticket, but you’ll definitely want to add this to your dessert recipe collection. Let me know what you served it with below!
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”YethiqZa” upload-date=”2021-01-20T06:00:00.000Z” name=”Malva Pudding” description=”Malva Pudding – a sweet decadent South African dessert with a caramelized exterior and spongy interior soaked in tasty warm butter.” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”] This blog post was originally published in May 2014 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.