MALVA PUDDING
& SAUCE
Malva pudding is Cape Town’s favourite dessert.
It’s the perfect sweet follow-up to a great braai or potjiekos,
and it feels wonderfully celebratory—even as a simple Tuesday treat.
INGREDIENTS:
Makes 5 servings:
PUDDING:
4 tbsp apricot jam
1 cup milk
50ml Oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
SAUCE:
50 ml Oil or butter
125 ml cream
4 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp water
METHOD:
PUDDING
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Ovens can be temperamental, so if you know yours needs a bit more (or less) of a push, feel free to adjust.
In a large mixing bowl, add your first four ingredients — oil, sugar, jam, and egg. Beat until the mixture lightens and becomes a bit fluffy. (If you’re only using a fork, don’t stress — the fluffiness isn’t make-or-break.)
In a large measuring cup or bowl, add the milk, then the vinegar and vanilla essence. Whisk lightly.
In another bowl, mix the bicarbonate of soda with the flour and give it a quick stir.
Alternating between the milk mixture and the flour, gradually add them to the main mixing bowl, stirring well as you go.
Pour the batter into a lightly greased oven-proof dish (ours was 30x15cm, but a slightly smaller one would also work well).
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out with spongy crumbs (it likely won’t come out clean) rather than uncooked batter. The pudding will stay in its mould and rest a bit once the sauce is poured over.
SAUCE
Add all the sauce ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and let it simmer, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes — this gives the sauce a richer, deeper flavour.
Stab the pudding a few times with a fork to help the sauce soak in evenly. Pour the sauce over slowly, making sure every part is covered and nothing is left dry.
