Malva Pudding – Immaculate Bites

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

1. Basic Cake – The usual cake ingredients for a Malva pudding are flour, butter, eggs, sugar, baking soda, salt, vinegar, and milk. 
2. Fruity Ingredients – Apricot jam and orange zest deliver bright, citrusy notes that vibe insanely well with the rich butter sauce. 🤯
3. 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

1. Go gluten-free! Your favorite all-purpose gluten-free flour blend will work fine for Malva pudding.
2. 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. 🤎
3. 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

1. Grease your cake pan generously to keep the cake from sticking to the pan when it’s fully baked. 
2. Pour the butter sauce over the cake slowly and evenly so it has time to absorb.
3. 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

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

1. Easy Mandazi
2. Crunchies
3. African Doughnut
4. Puff Puffs
5. Cassava Pone

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.