South Africa | Dessert

Malva Pudding

A warm South African baked pudding flavored with apricot jam, then soaked with a buttery cream sauce.

Country
South Africa
Region
Southern Africa
Time
60 min
Serves
8
Level
medium
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01 / Get ready

Everything you need

Tap each ingredient as you gather it. Illustrations are visual guides; follow the ingredient names and quantities.

Servings 8

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02 / Let’s cook

One step at a time

Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.

Back to South Africa
4 steps 20 min prep 40 min cook (check method) 60 min total medium
1
Make the sponge batter
Beat egg and sugar until pale. Mix in apricot jam, melted butter, and vinegar. Fold in flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and milk.
2
Bake
Pour into a greased baking dish and bake at 180 C until risen and golden.
Bake 35:00
3
Make the sauce
Warm cream, sugar, butter, and hot water until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is smooth.
Sauce 05:00
4
Soak the pudding
Pierce the hot pudding with a skewer or fork and pour the warm sauce over it gradually so it absorbs.
Kitchen noteServe warm, not cold, for the classic soft texture.
Absorb 10:00

Some recipes use evaporated milk, cream, or milk in the sauce. The apricot jam and hot soak are the important shared features.

Cooking notes, photos & serving ideas
Recipe context

More about this dish

Serving ideas, regional context, and cooking cues for when you want more detail.

When to cook it

Best for Sunday lunch, winter dessert, braai desserts, and holiday tables.. Plan on a medium cook. Allow about 60 minutes total.

What to serve alongside it

Custard, vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream.

Regional lane

Braai sides and sweet table. Relishes, custards, puddings, and tea-table desserts.

Chef watch-outs
  • Rushing the base before the raw edge has cooked out.
  • Adding all seasoning early and forgetting to adjust at the end.
  • Cooking on heat that is too high once the dish should be steaming or simmering.
How you know it is ready
  • The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
  • Oil, sauce, broth, or steam should look settled and deliberate.
  • The final texture should match the dish style before you plate it.
Pantry lane

curry powder, apricot jam, chakalaka, mince, custard

Recipe illustrations

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Take a closer look at the dish and its serving ideas.

Golden Malva pudding with a spoonful of moist sponge and buttery cream sauce; AI-generated recipe illustration
Malva Pudding finished dish · AI-generated illustration
Chef board

Build the table around Malva Pudding

Custard, vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream.

Best route from here

Braai sides and sweet table

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