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The dessert, From around the world

Malva pudding

Malva pudding is a South African apricot cake with a spongy texture, served drowned in a warm butter and cream sauce, for 6 people. It takes 25 minutes of active work and is made the same morning, you just reheat it and pour the sauce right before serving. It's easy to make and costs €1.50 per person, the key is pouring the scalding sauce over the hot cake so it soaks in completely.

We're finishing with a malva pudding, that spongy South African apricot cake, drowned in a warm, creamy sauce.

Malva pudding
For
6 people
Work
25 min
Total time
1 h 15
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.50
Calories per person
620 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Malva pudding is an apricot cake with an airy, almost spongy crumb that drinks up a warm butter and cream sauce without ever turning soggy. Vinegar and baking soda give it that particular lightness, and apricot jam adds a tangy note that balances the sweetness of the sauce. It's a generous dessert, meant to be served by the spoonful straight from the dish.

This cake earns its place at the end of a family meal or a dinner with friends, especially once the weather turns cooler and you want something comforting. It fits easily into a relaxed, no fuss menu, and its soft texture and rich sauce make it a hit with kids and adults alike.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 3 steps, 55 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 15 min
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step, 5 min

Make the cake and the sauce the same morning, it saves you time in the evening without losing any quality. Right before guests arrive, reheat the covered cake in the oven so it's hot all the way through. At serving time, warm the sauce, poke the cake and pour the scalding sauce over it in front of your guests for a nice effect.

The ingredients

6 people

Dairy

  • Eggs 2
  • Butter 40 g
  • Milk 20 cl
  • Heavy cream 25 cl
  • Butter for the sauce 100 g

Pantry

  • Sugaroften in the pantry 150 g
  • Apricot jam 150 g
  • Flouroften in the pantry 150 g
  • Baking sodaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • White vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Sugar for the sauceoften in the pantry 150 g
  • Vanilla extractoften in the pantry 1 tsp

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Whisk the eggs with 150 g of sugar until the mixture turns pale, then add the jam and the melted butter. 10 min

    If your jam has large chunks, blend it first, the texture will be smoother.

  2. Mix the flour with the baking soda, fold it in while alternating with the milk and vinegar, pour into a buttered dish and bake at 180 °C. 35 min

    The vinegar activates the baking soda and gives that light crumb, don't skip it.

  3. Heat the cream with the butter, sugar and vanilla until the sugar dissolves, without letting it boil. 10 min

    Keep the sauce in the saucepan, you'll only need to reheat it later.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Take the cake out of the fridge if needed, cover it and put it back in the oven at 150 °C to warm it through. 15 min

    It needs to be hot all the way through to properly soak up the sauce.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Reheat the sauce, poke the cake with a skewer and pour the hot sauce over it before serving. 5 min

    Serve it in squares with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you want to wow your guests.

Our tips to get it right

  • Butter the baking dish generously, malva pudding crumb is delicate and sticks easily if the dish isn't greased enough.
  • Never pour cold sauce over a cold cake, it always needs to meet a hot cake to soak properly into the crumb.
  • If you don't have a thin skewer, a long toothpick or cake tester works fine, the point is to make small, even holes before pouring the sauce.

The variations

  • Swap the apricot jam for peach or mirabelle plum jam for a milder version, the texture stays close to the original.
  • For a dairy free version, use plant based margarine and a thick soy cream, the cake keeps its soft texture.
  • For kids, serve smaller portions with a scoop of vanilla ice cream instead of the full sauce, it's lighter on the palate.

What to serve it with

  • A scoop of vanilla ice cream
  • A strong coffee to end the meal
  • Fresh seasonal berries for contrast

Storage

The cake and the sauce keep separately in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days in sealed containers. The cake freezes well once baked and cooled, but the sauce doesn't. Reheat the cake in the oven before pouring warm sauce over it to bring back its original softness.

Questions about this recipe

Can I replace the apricot jam with another fruit?

Yes, peach or mirabelle plum jam works very well and keeps the sweet tangy balance of the cake. Avoid jams that are too runny, since they'd change the batter's texture.

Why didn't my malva pudding rise properly?

The baking soda needs to be fresh and well mixed with the vinegar to create the reaction that lightens the crumb. If the mixture is too old, the cake stays denser.

How should I present malva pudding for a dinner party?

Serve it straight from its baking dish, cut into squares at the table, with the sauce poured in front of your guests. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on each portion rounds out the presentation nicely.

Is malva pudding eaten warm or cold?

It's always eaten warm, that's what lets the crumb fully soak up the sauce. Cold, it loses its signature softness and the sauce no longer absorbs properly.

Can a malva pudding be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 25 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 3 steps, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make a malva pudding?

Allow 1 h 15 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 25 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "easy".

How many calories are in a malva pudding?

About 620 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a malva pudding cost?

About €1.50 per person, that's €9.00 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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