Easy South African Malva Pudding Recipe

Recipe updated in June 2026 with clearer baking cues, improved sauce notes, extra troubleshooting and storage tips.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

You'll find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Apricot jam

Apricot jam is one of the ingredients that gives malva pudding its classic flavour and soft, sticky texture. Smooth apricot jam is easiest, but chunky jam is fine if that is what you have.

I would not swap it for strawberry or raspberry jam. They change the flavour too much. Orange marmalade can work in a pinch, but it will give the pudding a more citrusy edge.

Vinegar and bicarbonate of soda

The vinegar and bicarbonate of soda help the sponge rise and give malva pudding its light, springy texture. You do not taste the vinegar in the finished pudding.

White vinegar, white wine vinegar or cider vinegar will all work. Avoid strongly flavoured vinegars.

Evaporated milk and cream

This sauce uses both evaporated milk and double cream to make it rich, luxurious and properly creamy.

In South Africa, double cream is usually easiest to find at Woolworths. If you can't get hold of it, normal cream will work too.

What size baking dish should I use?

Use a medium baking dish, roughly 24cm x 18cm x 5cm / 9 x 7 x 2 inches. A similar-sized dish will work as long as it has enough depth for the sponge to rise and for the sauce to soak in.

A larger, shallower dish will give you a flatter pudding and may bake a little faster. A smaller, deeper dish may need a few extra minutes in the oven.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.

2. Grease a medium baking dish, roughly 24cm x 18cm x 5cm / 9 x 7 x 2 inches, with a thin layer of butter or cooking spray.

Make the sponge

3. Add the vinegar to the milk, stir and set aside for a few minutes.

4. Add the eggs, white sugar, softened butter and apricot jam to a large mixing bowl.

5. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the mixture on high for about 3 minutes, until it looks light and creamy, with no obvious buttery lumps remaining.

6. Add the milk and vinegar mixture and beat again until combined. The mixture may look a little loose at this stage, which is fine.

7. In a separate bowl, sift together the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt.

8. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and beat on the lowest speed until just combined. Stop as soon as you no longer see dry flour. Do not overmix.

9. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean, the centre feels firm to the touch and the edges are just starting to pull away from the dish.

Make the sauce

10. About 10 minutes before the pudding is done, add the cream, evaporated milk, butter, brown sugar, white sugar and vanilla to a saucepan.

11. Heat over medium heat, stirring now and then, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. The sauce should be hot and pourable, but it does not need to boil. Remove from the heat.

Assemble the pudding

12. As soon as the pudding comes out of the oven, use a cake tester, skewer or the tip of a sharp knife to poke holes across the surface.

13. Pour the hot sauce slowly and evenly over the hot pudding. If your dish is quite full, pour on half the sauce first, wait a minute, then add the rest.

14. Let the pudding stand for 10-15 minutes so the sauce can soak in before serving.

15. Serve warm with custard, vanilla ice cream, pouring cream or lightly whipped cream.

Troubleshooting

My malva pudding sank in the middle

A small amount of settling can happen once the sauce goes on, but a deep dip usually means the pudding was underbaked, the dish was too large or the batter was overmixed after the flour went in.

Before removing it from the oven, make sure a skewer comes out clean, the edges are just starting to pull away from the dish and the centre feels completely firm to the touch.

If you are worried about the look of a slightly sunken malva pudding, bake it a little longer rather than taking it out too soon. The sauce will still soak into a slightly drier sponge and bring back that soft, moist texture.

The sauce is pooling around the edges

This can happen if the sauce is poured too quickly or the pudding has not been pierced enough. Poke holes across the hot surface and pour the sauce slowly, giving it a minute to start soaking in before adding the rest.

The sauce should eventually soak in as the pudding stands.

My pudding tastes too sweet

Malva pudding is meant to be sweet and saucy. Serve it with unsweetened cream, plain vanilla ice cream or custard that is not overly sweet to balance it.

My sauce is too thick to soak in

Warm it gently until pourable. If your cream was very thick, add a small splash of evaporated milk or regular milk to loosen it before pouring.

Variations

• Amarula malva pudding: Add 2-3 tablespoons of Amarula to the sauce after removing it from the heat.
• Brandy version: Add 1-2 tablespoons of brandy to the sauce for a Cape brandy pudding-style flavour.
• Orange malva pudding: Add 1 teaspoon of finely grated orange zest to the sponge or a splash of orange juice to the sauce.
• Individual malva puddings: Bake in ramekins and start checking from about 18-20 minutes, depending on their size.

Serving suggestions

Malva pudding is best served warm, after the sauce has had 10-15 minutes to soak into the sponge.

Serve it with warm custard, vanilla ice cream, pouring cream or lightly whipped cream. Custard is the classic choice in many South African homes, while ice cream gives you that lovely hot-and-cold pudding situation. Very scientific. Very necessary.

For a South African dessert spread, serve it with milk tart with condensed milk, Peppermint Crisp tart or Hertzoggies.

Storage, reheating and freezing

Fridge

Store leftover malva pudding in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Keep any extra custard, cream or ice cream separate.

Reheating

Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, or until warm. Cover loosely with a damp piece of kitchen paper to stop the sponge drying out.

You can also reheat it in a low oven, covered with foil, until warmed through.

Freezing

Malva pudding freezes well. Cool it completely, then freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

FAQs

More South African recipes

For more South African comfort food, try my traditional bobotie, bunny chow, beef trinchado, South African curry noodle salad or South African pancakes.