This recipe for a classic South African malva pudding is the best version and is widely regarded as such. It hails from the Boschedndal restaurant where it was made for decades.
What is South African Malva pudding?
Malva pudding is a sweet and sticky dessert that is popular in South Africa. It is a cake-like pudding that is made with apricot jam and has a spongy texture. The pudding is typically served warm and is often accompanied by a custard or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
The ingredients for the pudding usually include flour, sugar, eggs, butter, milk, vinegar, and apricot jam. The pudding is baked in the oven and then soaked in a sweet syrup made from sugar, butter, and cream. The syrup is poured over the pudding while it is still warm and allowed to soak in, making the pudding moist and delicious.
Malva pudding is a beloved dessert in South Africa and is often served at special occasions, and family gatherings. It is a comforting and indulgent dessert that is sure to satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth.
I discovered this recipe after tracking it down over a period of about 6 months after tasting it at a friend’s house.
Last Sunday’s farewell lunch for my friend out from Michigan was just that. Quintessentially South African, it was the perfect ending to a full-on feast for 12 people, that was supposed to not be about the food and then ended up being all about the food.
I then took a perfectly good recipe and felt the urge to add a twist. As I like to do. I substituted the water for orange juice which gave it a wonderful citrus flavour note.
Don’t worry if it looks like it is literally drowning, it will seep in. The pudding is basically a sponge for the sauce.
I wanted to add a shot or two of Cointreau or brandy but didn’t have any on hand. I think Captain Morgan Spiced Gold Rum would also work quite well.
The compliments flowed, and it got compared to and spoken of as better than mom and grans malva pudding etcetera.
You may also like:
Malva pudding with ginger and pears poached in Rooibos tea
Malva pudding with cranberries & ginger
Printorange malva pudding
Ingredients
PUDDING:
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 TBS smooth apricot jam
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda/bicarb
pinch of salt
1 tsp butter (wait, it’s coming)
1 tsp vinegar
1 cup milk
SAUCE:
1 cup cream (here we go)
150gm butter (I told you)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice (original recipe is hot water)
Instructions
How to make this pudding:
preheat the oven to 180 C (350F)
beat the egg, sugar, and jam with an electric mixer on high for about 5 minutes
in a separate bowl sift the flour and bicarb of soda
melt the butter in the microwave and then add the vinegar
whilst the mixer is still going alternate between adding the flour and the milk in parts until it’s well combined
add the butter and vinegar mixture
empty the batter into a greased baking dish approx 20cm in diameter (glass pyrex or ceramic works well)
cover with foil and bake for 45 mins (I doubled the recipe so found it needed a bit longer)
The pudding is ready when it has an even golden brown colour over the top, bake a bit longer if it is still pale in the middle
melt all the sauce ingredients in a pot on the stove and pour this over the pudding as soon as it comes out of the oven
Keywords: Malva pudding, orange, South African calssic, dessert
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28 Comments
Sam, Sam this is lethal!!! Orange juice is a great idea!!
I adore malva pudding! (although my parents always called it muffin pudding.) It’s so simple and humble, but it’s one of my all-time favorites. So comforting. I’m sure it’s great with orange.
Also, I have to say I’m always so thrilled to see a South African blogging. I feel guilty that I don’t have a single South African recipe on my site, but it’s only a couple weeks old, so there’s plenty of time for me! I’ll be visiting your site again for sure. The snoek recipe also looks marvelous
Thanks Charlotte and good luck with the blogging, hope we connect again soon. Sam
Thanks Nina,I think Drizzle & Dip needs to go through a healthier phase, all these decadent goodies are taking there toll on the bod!
That last photo Sam! It’s going to be my death.
Marisa, I hope you make this pudding soon and tell me all about it 🙂
Hello. Just found this recipe. How many servings does it make?
Hi Dawn – it serves 6 – 8
Hi Sam, made your recipe and it was a big hit. I am no malva pudding lover but this one is devine. Thanks for sharing x
Thanks for letting me know Lee-Anne and glad you enjoyed it x
I have also twitched the Malva Pudding several ways in the past. I add Brandy to m sauce or in stead of using cream, i use Ideal Milk (Vaporarted Milk) . Nice to play around a litlle. You can also use Amuraly Cream Liqueur. We have even made it with a strawberry Liqueur.
Clever old you – only you could think of making perfection more perfect. What a great idea, the orange juice. I think the fountain from which this recipe came to me was Maggie Pepler, who did a holiday job with us at Boschendal in 1979. Shall try this one soon. Love Michael xx
Thanks M and yes it is Maggie’s recipe form the Boschedndal cookbook. I love the orange juice as it breaks through that overwhelming sweet a little.
This is so good! I just found the sauce to be a bit too much, so would make it less 1/4volume next time*
I used orange and lemon juice 50/50, and it tastes so good!
★★★★★
Hi Isabel. There is a lot of sauce with Malva. It eventually sinks in, but perfect if you have dropped it to suit your needs more. The original recipe this was based on had even more and I found that too much. But it does need to be quite saucey
Your recipes are always a winner and this malva pudding looks delicious. I’m about to try it out for my four children and their cousins.
It would be nice if you left out jokes concerning warnings about death and cardiac arrest related to the desserts as there are people who have been through these things and it might be hurtful to them. Eating should be a positive occasion enjoyed with friends and family with the occasional indulgence.
Once again thank you for your beautiful blog. It’s well presented and the recipes are always winners.
Hi Roxanne, thanks for the feedback and apologies that my crack at a bit of humour caused offence. It really was intended as a lighthearted joke. I hope you enjoyed the malva pudding.
Amazing twist to the traditional malva tart…seriously yummy!
Thanks for the recipe. We had a snap lockdown here in Victoria, Australia and I was left with 2 bags of oranges I was supposed to take to netball on Saturday. ( about 30oranges!!)
This came up when I googled orange puddings and the family loved it and its already written into the family recipe book
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe Donna and I hope the lockdown eases soon.
I got your blog from my daughter who lives in Germany.
Love the rusks and orange malva. Your humorous comments make it so much more than a recipe.. especially as I already have these conditions (except “death by Malva” obviously 🤪) I’ll be exploring more here ASAP! THANKYOU! Fran
★★★★★
Hi Fran and welcome to Drizzleanddip. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Was absolutely yummy definitely going to be a regular the longer it stands the yummier … thanks 🤗🤗🤗
I halved the sugar in both the dough and sauce and it was still delicious. Perfect for winter nights!
★★★★★
Hi Justine and thanks for the feedback on the recipe. Glad it worked out with reduced sugar, that’s awesome to know
Oh my word. This is the best Malva Pudding EVER! I am from South Africa and have tried many Malva Pudding Recipes and have been disappointed… till now. I have also made your Pear and Ginger Malva Pudding which is Excellent. The sauce is the perfect amount and soaks in so well, leaving you with a really saucy base. I love your humorous comments, jokes and suggestions. Just makes one want to try more of your recipes. Thank you so much.
★★★★★
Hi Bonny, I am so glad you enjoyed this malva pudding as much as I do 🙂