Malva Pudding
Malva Pudding is one of my favorite sweet and decadent South African desserts. With a caramelized exterior and spongy interior soaked in tasty warm butter, it’s an absolute delight to dive into.
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.
Malva Pudding: a Classic African Dessert
I first made this cake during my home economics class. Back then, any cake was a good cake because, in Africa, it’s not an everyday occurrence. We save cakes for special occasions. But this one was all the rage in our class.
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
- Basic Cake – The usual cake ingredients for a Malva pudding are flour, butter, eggs, sugar, baking soda, salt, vinegar, and milk.
- Fruity Ingredients – Apricot jam and orange zest deliver bright, citrusy notes that vibe insanely well with the rich butter sauce. 🤯
- Butter Sauce – Butter, evaporated milk, granulated and brown sugar, and almond and vanilla extract create a delectable butter sauce. 😵
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
- Go gluten-free! Your favorite all-purpose gluten-free flour blend will work fine for Malva pudding.
- Swap up the extracts. Vanilla and almond extract delivers a decadent aroma, but feel free to get creative. Hazelnut extract, an almond-flavored liqueur, or warm spices like cinnamon are all good. 🤎
- Fruity trade. Use lemon or lime zest instead of the orange, and replace apricot jam with any jam that provides an overall harmonious flavor.
Tips and Tricks
- Grease your cake pan generously to keep the cake from sticking to the pan when it’s fully baked.
- Pour the butter sauce over the cake slowly and evenly so it has time to absorb.
- Get creative by garnishing your Malva pudding with fresh berries and mint leaves, a drizzle of chocolate sauce, or a dusting of powdered sugar. 😍
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.
FAQs
It’s traditional for a more authentic malva pudding recipe, but feel free to experiment with other flavors. Peach jam would be a great replacement.
It will rise and have a golden brown top. Also, a cake tester inserted into the center will come out clean. It should have a moist, sponge-like texture.
The texture is similar to tres leches. The taste is also similar but with apricot and sticky toffee undertones. 🫶
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
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This blog post was originally published in May 2014 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Malva Pudding
Ingredients
The Cake
- 4 large eggs
- 3 teaspoons grated orange zest
- 1½ cups (300g) sugar
- ¾ cup (180g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup (120ml) apricot jam
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (10g) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (7g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) vinegar
- 1½ cups (360ml) milk
The Sauce
- 2 cups (240ml) evaporated milk
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (105g) brown sugar
- 1 cup (240g) butter
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) almond extract
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) vanilla extract
Instructions
The Cake
- 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.
- 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, but that's OK.
- Pour batter into a greased cake pan. Bake at 350℉ (180℃) until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25–30 minutes.
The Sauce
- While the cake is baking, heat the evaporated milk, butter, sugar, almond extract, and vanilla extract in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted. Remove from heat
- Heat the evaporated milk, 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 all the way to the bottom.
- Pour the butter sauce on the cake. Serve immediately or set aside in the fridge until ready to enjoy.
Tips & Notes:
- Grease your cake pan generously to keep the cake from sticking to the pan when it’s fully baked.
- Pour the butter sauce over the cake slowly and evenly so it has time to absorb.
- Get creative by garnishing your Malva pudding with fresh berries and mint leaves, a drizzle of chocolate sauce, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
I kept to the exact recipe and it came out 100 perfect.
Thank you for sharing your lovely recipe with us.
Thank you for your kind words:)
Can you substitute water for the milk?
Yes you can.
Do you pour all the sauce over it at once? In the video it looks like there is some leftover for serving.
Hello Sal. All the butter sauce is poured over the pudding. The pudding is then served with custard sauce. Hope that helps.
What is the custard? And what is the type of vinegar
The sauce on top is ‘The Sauce’ in the recipe, made with evaporated milk, regular & brown sugar, butter, almond, and vanilla extract! White vinegar 🙂
Hope you give this a try!
I haven’t made mal a pudding in absolute years but wanted to make something from my heritage for my American husband’s work people. Not only was it a massive hit but I’m making it for a second time within a week coz now I want to eat the whole thing myself!! Sooooooooo good!!!
Hahaha, that happens to me too:)!! Thank you for the feedback, Beatrix!
If I could only eat one dish for the rest of my life, it would be this Malva Pudding. I ate it for breakfast and dessert, both warm and cold. It’s been days and I can’t stop thinking about the next time I can make it. A phenomenal creation!
Hahaha, that is quite the feedback, Lauren :)! I am so glad you loved the recipe.
I’m looking to make this this week! I was wondering how much evaporated milk is for this recipe? Recipe says 2 cups (240 ml), but 240 ml is actually only about 1 cup. So should I use 1 cup or 2 cups?
Hi Jon. Use 2 cups of evaporated milk. Happy baking :)!
I am making this for a project and wondering what size pan to use.
Hi Shelly. Use a 9×13 inch baking pan. This size should yield enough servings for about 12 to 15 people. Happy Baking.
I didn’t see what size pan to use for this unless I missed it. And at the top, it shows that it makes only 6 servings. That would indicate a small pan, maybe 8×8″ square. But the ingredients look like a larger pan may be best. Please advise, as I’d like to make this for a group.
Hi Cindy,
For this Malva Pudding recipe, I recommend using a 9×13 inch baking pan. This size should yield enough servings for about 12 to 15 people. If you’re planning to serve more than 12 people, you might want to consider preparing an additional batch of the recipe to ensure there’s plenty for everyone. Enjoy your baking and the smiles it brings to your gathering!
Here you say to use a 9×13 pan and elsewhere I read an 8×8 pan. Which is the correct size or can either be used?
Hi Eliza. You can use either. If you use a 8×8 pan, you would need to bake it a little longer. Happy baking!
Imma this looks heavenly! And it is hassle free. I look forward to trying this sweet treat over the holiday season. Thanks as always and happy holidays to you and your family!
Hello !
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m delighted to hear that you’re excited to try the Malva Pudding recipe. It’s indeed a heavenly treat and perfect for the holiday season. The simplicity of the recipe makes it all the more enjoyable to prepare, especially during busy times.
I hope it brings a sweet touch to your holiday celebrations. Wishing you and your family a wonderful and joyous holiday season as well. Happy baking, and may your holidays be filled with delicious moments! ✨
I have a question. I would like to make this in individual ramekins like the creme brulee type. How long should I bake? Do you see any issues doing it this way?
Good question. Normally it would be half the baking time for a ramekin, but you may want to start checking it at around 10 minutes because everyone’s oven is a little different. Let me know how it turns out.
Should all the butter used in the recipe be unsalted butter? Can’t wait to try this, it sounds so delicious!
I am not from SA but my husband is , made this twice already and my husband said taste authentic SA..I do cook and bake some of your recipe..I love them thank you..
This is a delicious cake! I made it for Juneteenth 2020 and 2021. Regarding the flour, I used one cup the first time and the second time I used 5 ounces using a food scale. The one cup is the way to go. Although 8oz equals a cup it doesn’t really work out that way for some reason. So stir your flour, spoon it into a 1 cup dry measuring cup and sweep off the top to make it even, do not pack down. I made this version and your chocolate version. We all like the original the best. Thanks for sharing!
Aww! Thank you for sharing this, Adrienne! 🙂
I want to make this for a Mother’s day function for 14 people so plan on using double quantity. Can I bake in Pyrex,….
Hello Penny! I haven’t tried it but you may adjust your temperature and baking time. Goodluck! Please let me know how it goes and I hope your guests enjoy the meal that you’ll prepare 🙂
The first time I made malva pudding I used a highly rated recipe I found online. It was entirely too sweet and dense and I didn’t like it. I decided to try again with your recipe and omg. I just tried a piece and it is fantastic! Just perfect. Thank you so much. I love your recipes!
Hello. I’ve made this dessert several times, and while it is delicious, it always sags in the middle. How do I fix this? I use an 8 X 8″ Corningware dish and I don’t open the oven door until I’m ready to take it out. Help!
The same thing happens to me when I try to bake a cake in a Corningware pan. The problem is they take longer to heat up than metal. I used an 8×8 metal pan for this and it was perfect.
One of your comments said to use malt vinegar. I don’t have that at home and am unable to get to the store. What other vinegars would work well? So, why is vinegar an important ingredient in this recipe?
Thanks!
Dana
Hi Dana,
Malt vinegar is a traditional ingredient. However, white vinegar works just as well.
I fear I know the answer to this but I am going to ask anyway. Is they any substitute to the Apricot Jam. With shopping being what it is I don’t want to pop to into the store just for Apricot Jam, the rest I have on file. Would maybe Strawberry work or maybe some other sub?
Hi Philip. I totally understand where you are coming from. Unfortunately, in order to have the authentic Malva pudding, Apricot Jam is the way to go. But guess what, I do not think strawberry would ruin your pudding… sure the color and taste would be different, but I bet it will still taste great. Think of this as a trial run, until when you are able to get Apricot Jam. Happy baking and stay safe.
I have used rasberry marmalade as a substitute and it was still an amazing desert.
Hi. I’m making this for a Christmas party and I’m using your recipe as the representative recipe from an African country. (Theme is Christmas Around the world). I have a question, is it possible to bake the cake first and then wait several hours (upwards of 12 hours) before applying the sauce, or is better to apply sauce when cake is fresh from oven, and then refrigerate it for 24 hours until needed?
Hi, Julie. I usually apply the sauce after the cake is baked and set it aside in the fridge until ready to serve.
Thank you for the recipe!! My family was excited to try a new dessert. I grated oranges peels since I couldn’t find orange zest locally. This cake was delicious. So, much better than my mother’s traditional pound cake.
I’m so happy you love this! Truly a decadent treat! Thanks for stopping by!