This classic South African dessert, malva pudding is spongy in texture, sticky and irresistible. You'll love baking the malva pudding in a muffin pan not only because the mini cakes are just the right portions for individual servings but also because you won't have to worry about slicing it perfectly.
Here’s a recipe, a little something new for you, and fresh for me. I’ll be honest, the first time I heard of this, I was like “huh?” But, I am SO glad that I made this dessert because it is absolutely delicious!
What is Malva pudding?
To be clear, this isn’t a pudding as you would buy in little Jello cups as a pack of four. This type of dessert has a spongy, caramelized texture made with apricot jam and served hot with a cream sauce poured over the top of it.
Sounds much better than the pudding you first thought of, right? This type of pudding is more so like a cake, as you can tell, and pairs so nicely with some ice cream or whipped cream.
Who doesn’t love a warm, gooey cake à la mode? Unless you’re lactose intolerant, you’re lying if you don’t like ice cream. Sorry, I don’t make the rules.
Ingredients for mini pudding cakes:
- sugar
- eggs
- apricot jam
- baking soda
- milk
- all-purpose flour
- unsalted butter
- vinegar
- heavy cream
- vanilla extract
How do you make Malva sticky pudding?
*Keep scrolling to get the full (printable) recipe, and ingredient amounts, or click on the “Skip to Recipe” button at the top of the page.
Make the Pudding Cakes:
- Beat the butter and sugar together; add the eggs and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add in the jam and mix through.
- Dissolve the baking soda in the milk.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mix alternating with milk. Stir in the vinegar. Combine everything together.
- Pour into the prepared muffin pan and bake until the cakes turn golden brown on the edges about 30-45 minutes (about 60 minutes if you're not using a muffin pan).
Make the Cream Sauce:
- In a saucepan, add all the ingredients and heat over medium heat until butter is melted and everything is well combined.
Assemble:
- Take out the cakes from the oven and poke holes with a toothpick all over them. Pour the sauce over the hot baked pudding cakes.
- Let the cakes stand for about 20-30 minutes for the sauce to completely soak in.
I’m not promising that won’t stop you from eating more than one of these, and therefore, multiple portions. It’s happened before.
I once knew a young girl who was bright and ambitious. She was a gentle, friendly person, and was a little particular about the foods she ate. She also has a massive sweet tooth and ate 8 muffin-sized guava cheesecakes last Thanksgiving. 😲
I can’t blame her, though. When the dessert is good, it’s good. And no muffin-sized, portioned-out servings of it are going to stop you from indulging. 😋
When you have a cake like this that makes you melt into your chair, you’ll want to indulge all you want (and you can). The cream sauce is poured over the top of the mini cakes as soon as they come out of the oven, so it soaks into the cake. Talk about decadent!
If you’re stuck what dessert you’re trying to bring for the holidays, this is an excellent option for you to try.
Other people can come with the store-bought cookies or the box-mix brownies, but you can bring something to the table that will be memorable, and that everyone will be asking about it.
Unless that young girl manages to eat 8 of them again. Oh, also, that young girl was me. 🙋♀️
Recipe Notes:
This South African sticky dessert is something you can experiment with a little:
- Try using ginger in the pudding mix for a little bit of spice or switching some of the ingredients for the cream sauce.
- I’ve heard of people using sweetened condensed milk instead of cream, and some like to add almond extract in addition to the vanilla extract.
- Serve the pudding cakes warm or cold as they are, or you can dust them with powder sugar or top with ice cream.
- It is best to serve the pudding when the sauce is fully absorbed.
- You can make malva pudding as one big thing, or you can use a muffin pan to create single servings. For this recipe, I decided to use a large, 6-cup, muffin pan to create those perfect little portions, because I love dessert and I have minimal self-control.
- Serve it warm or cold.
Whichever your preference is, I guarantee that these little pudding muffins will steal your heart!
Other South African sweets you'll love:
South African Malva Pudding Mini Cakes Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Electric Mixer
- 6 large muffins muffin pan or a 7" baking pan
- small saucepan
Ingredients
Pudding Cakes
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon apricot jam
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
Cream Sauce
- 1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons)
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¼ cup hot water
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Pudding Cakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 6-cup muffin pan or a 7-inch round or square baking dish.
- With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add the eggs and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add in the jam and mix through.
- Dissolve the baking soda in the milk.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mix alternating with milk. Stir in the vinegar. Combine everything together.
- Pour into the prepared muffin pan and bake until the cakes turn golden brown on the edges about 30-45 minutes (about 60 minutes if you're not using a muffin pan).
Cream Sauce
- In a saucepan, add all the ingredients and heat over medium heat until butter is melted and everything is well combined.
Assemble
- Take out the cakes from the oven and poke holes with a toothpick all over them. Pour the sauce over the hot baked pudding cakes.
- Let the cakes stand for about 20-30 minutes for the sauce to completely soak in.
Expert Tips
- Try using ginger in the pudding mix for a little bit of spice or switching some of the ingredients for the cream sauce.
- I’ve heard of people using sweetened condensed milk instead of cream, and some like to add almond extract in addition to the vanilla extract.
- Serve the pudding cakes warm or cold as they are, or you can dust them with powder sugar or top with ice cream.
- It is best to serve the pudding when the sauce is fully absorbed.
- You can make malva pudding as one big thing, or you can use a muffin pan to create single servings. For this recipe, I decided to use a large, 6-cup, muffin pan to create those perfect little portions, because I love dessert and I have minimal self-control.
- Serve it warm or cold.
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
Nutrition
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Kady says
i have made this three times now and i'm only 14 and i ate half of the pan by my self i have also reccomended these to my friends and my homech teacher an and every one likes them. i rate 10 out of 5 stars.
Jas says
Awe, Kady, I'm so impressed that you bake at your age and super happy that you baked our recipe! Thank you so much for your lovely comment and the 5-star rating! Keep on baking! <3
Katy says
um my auntie is a diabetic so she can't have sugar would honey work
Jas says
I haven't tried substituting honey for sugar in this recipe, so I can't guarantee, but it is possible to replace sugar with honey at 1:1 for up to one cup. Anything more than a cup you'll need to use less because it's sweeter than sugar. Also, and because honey is liquid, you'll need less fluid in the recipe. Let me know how it turned out if you give it a try.
Debbie Smith says
Can I make these small malvas ahead of time and reheat before serving or will they be too dry?
Jas says
They are great at room temperature or cold as well, but if you'd like them warm you can reheat them. They are really moist so they won't dry out. Do about 30 seconds in a microwave and then 10 seconds in increments until the desired temperature. If you make them ahead, don't sprinkle with powder sugar (if using) until right before serving. Enjoy! 🙂
acraftymix says
You are my hero Jas. Malva pudding is probably one of our most well known deserts and I don't believe I have ever seen one as beautiful as yours. EVER. Damn girl, you have got to come visit us here in South Africa soon so I can get all my friends to meet a foodie blogger from the States that makes the most amazingly authentic South Africa dishes. You'll be a hit and we probably won't let you go home 😉
Jas says
Awe! A hero? Why, thank you very much, although I'm far from being one. I'd love to visit you and the land of my dreams one day. Perhaps I'd want you to not let me go home. 😉
Jodie Fitz says
These look GREAT! We have hosted a 'dinner around the world' and I will save this for that... hope to see you at this weeks Reader Tip Tuesday, I always love your recipes. x0 http://www.jodiefitz.com/2018/09/25/reader-tip-tuesday-weeks-craft-recipe-party-14-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2/
Jas says
Aren't those dinners fun? 😀 Thank you for your kind words, Jodie! Hope your week is going great. xx
Irene says
yummy!
Jas says
That's what I said, lol. 🙂
debanitaghosh says
I love your malva mini cakes. It looks delicious & tempting especially with lovely design on top. Thanks for bringing this to Fiesta Friday!
Jas says
I'm so happy you like them, Debanita! Thanks for stopping in. x
Miz Helen says
Your Malva Pudding Cakes look delicious. Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday, your post is awesome. Hope you are having a great week and come back to see us soon!
Miz Helen
Jas says
Glad you like it, Miz Helen! XOXO
The Girl Next Door says
This looks and sounds exactly like my kind of dessert! I'll definitely try this out soon. Thank you for the detailed recipe. 🙂
Jas says
I hope you do! 😀
Natalie says
I never heard of these cakes before but they look absolutely amazing and so delicious and moist!
Jas says
They are definitely moist, Natalie. Thanks for stopping in!
helenfern says
ok - Now I'm hungry for one! Thanks for sharing at the What's for Dinner party!
Jas says
😀 Thanks, Helen!
Jann Olson says
I’ve never heard of it, but it sounds delicious!! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Jas says
They really are, Jann! Thanks for stopping in!
Zeba@Food For The Soul says
This looks amazing and I am bookmarking to try. Thanks for sharing on Fiesta Friday!
Jas says
Thanks, Zeba! x
Life Diet Health says
I've never heard of these either but they look and sound like something we'd all love! I might use your recipe for the boys first then try and veganise them for me! 😀 Thanks for sharing over at Fiesta Friday.
Jas says
Let me know how your vegan version turns out, I'm intrigued! 🙂
Life Diet Health says
I will do! Hubby has a South African friend so I’ll try an authenticity test! Thanks again.
Jas says
Awesome
Patricia Haddad says
I was amazed that you said you might try to veganise this wonderful-sounding recipe. Please let me know if you were successful! Thank you, Jas and Life Diet Health.
Simple Indian Mom says
Wow that looks so yummy <3 will give it a try my kids would love to have it
Jas says
It's sweet and sticky, just like the kids like it 😀 Hope yours will enjoy it too!
Ron says
A right proper pudding, if I so say myself. I remember malva pudding, but haven't had it since I traveled in South Africa years ago. As I remember, the texture was amazing, sweet and kinda chewy. Very excited to make this one and see if mind remembers correctly.
Jas says
Thanks, Ron! I hope your mind will not only remember this treat but also recollect happy memories of your trip, as food can often help do. 🙂