Malva Pudding Chocolate – A decadent traditional South African dessert that you just have to try! Rich, moist, chocolatey and oh so easy!

Oh my, I can’t believe Valentine’s Day is around the corner. Can you even remember what happened in January? It looks like my life drove through January and straight into February.
Ooh, I’m always excited about love season. Well, not really about Valentine’s Day (overrated in my opinion) Really! I feel that love should be celebrated throughout the year, not just one day of the year. Don’t you agree?

Anyways, it’s all about chocolate for me; I can’t seem to get enough of. Yes, that’s what gets me pretty happy!
This valentine’s season I’m going to take two or three of my favorite African desserts/snacks and give it a chocolate makeover. Now give me some thumbs up!!!

My first pick is malva pudding, if you haven’t tried this decadent malva pudding then you should. So what is malva pudding? It is a sweet pudding that originates in South Africa. What sets it apart is it’s caramelized exterior and spongy interior when baked. Then it is soaked in a warm butter sauce and served with whipped cream or ice cream.

Here, instead of drenching this cake with plain warm butter sauce, I added some chocolate to it, to make it even more decadent.
What I love most about this recipe besides the taste and texture is how easy it is to make. Just a few simple, standard ingredients mixed together, coupled with an easy chocolate sauce and you’re ready to dig in.
Enjoy!
Malva pudding (Chocolate)
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon un-salted butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 4 tablespoon Apricot jam
- 6 1/2 ounces sugar 3/4 cup, 200 ml, or 180 g
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 cup or 5 ounces all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Chocolate Sauce
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1/4 -1/3 cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons / 3 ounce. / 88 grams butter.
- 2 ounce milk/ semi sweet chocolate
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease an 8 inch pan generously with cooking spray and set aside.
- 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 eggs mixture
- In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt
- Gradually, fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture. The mixture might be runny that’s ok.
- Pour batter into a greased cake pan. Bake at 350 until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25–30minutes
- While the cake is baking, heat the evaporated milk, chocolate, butter, sugar, almond and vanilla extract, in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted. Remove from heat
- Using a skewer poke holes in the cake extending all the way to the bottom of the cake.
- Pour the chocolate butter sauce on the cake. Serve immediately or set aside in the fridge until ready to use
Nutrition Information:








Akaila Powell says
Soooo good and I did the regular one without chocolate too both are amazing with fresh strawberries
T Fuller says
How can I make ahead? Wait until I’m taking to my dinner to pour the chocolate?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi there! You can bake the cake ahead of time (without pouring the chocolate sauce) and store in the fridge. Then when ready to serve, you can add the sauce on it.
Winnna says
Hi, can I substitute buttermilk instead of milk in this recipe? I have extra butter milk that I’d like to use.
ImmaculateBites says
Yes you sure can.
Andy says
I made this for a book club dinner. We read the book Stay With Me, set in Nigeria. I tried to find Nigerian desserts but couldn’t so I made this one. It turned out exactly like the pictures. Everyone liked it. Thanks African bites!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Thanks for taking the time to share this with us .
Lynn cirillo says
I am going to try this recipe but I’m not sure what type of vinegar to use and for the butter mixed with the evaporated milk, is that butter salted or unsalted ?
ImmaculateBites says
It’s unsalted and I used rice vinegar. Any would do just fine.
Lynn cirillo says
Thank you . Can’t wait to make it. Looks yummy !!
Christie says
This looks so good. I’d like to make this for an International Fair at my kids’ school, but I need to double the recipe. Advice for size of pan and cooking time for a doubled amount? Thanks very much.
ImmaculateBites says
The cooking time stays the same. I would use a 9×13 inch cake pan.
MaryJo says
Brother #3 made this for Brother #1’s birthday cake and it was fabulous! Everyone wanted the recipe. He said that he doubled the amount of the chocolate in the sauce. I will definitely make this for my friends and family.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome!! Thank brother #3 for making it. And thank you for taking the time to share this with me Maryjo.
Teresa says
I love Malva Pudding but never had with chocolate must be good. I will try this one with chocolate.
Kate says
This is great . easy to follow recipe. Mine didn’t come out like I thought it would but my family loved it. Next time I will bake for 40 minutes and poke larger holes.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi kate! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.
the lady says
It seems you did not indicate at what stage do you add the semi-chocolate on your recipe
ImmaculateBites says
Recipe updated! Thanks
Megan Martin says
This recipe worked so well. My class enjoyed this very much.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Megan! Thanks for the feedback!
Dixie says
This looks and sound amazing. I wonder if you could use an all purpose flute free flour for it?
ImmaculateBites says
Dixie , Sorry , I have not tried this recipe with flute free flour so I cannot say with certainty that it would work.
Dixie says
Haha, well clearly that was supposed to read gluten free. I am going to try it this week.
[email protected] Eats says
Oooh, now THIS is a pudding with a difference! I love that! Plain chocolate pudding is not for me, too boring! 🙂
ImmaculateBites says
Nagi, you are my kind of girl!!!!
Jehancancook says
Gah… This looks so decadent!! I’ve never heard of this but it reminds me of a sticky toffee pudding. Thanks for sharing.
ImmaculateBites says
Jehan, go grab a spoon!!!!
Charlene @ That Girl Cooks Healthy says
That picture of the spoon holding up the malva pudding is perfect. This recipe sounds delicious and very timely with valentines day right around the corner.
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Charlene, how I love this season!!!
Lisa Johnson says
Not to sure about about of sugar and is it plain white sugar
Lisa Johnson says
Typo sorry but wanting to know what kind and how much sugar to use
Imma Adamu says
Here you go! 6 1/2 ounces of sugar / 3/4 cup
Imma Adamu says
Yes i do use plain white sugar, but you can definetely always substitute