Classic South African Malva Pudding Recipe (Step-by-Step)

This South African Malva Pudding Recipe is a rich, buttery, moist dessert with just the right level of sweetness and a milky, melt-in-your-mouth texture. It’s a favorite in our house — even my husband, who usually doesn’t love desserts, can’t get enough of Malva Pudding.

I like to make this Malva Pudding during the holidays alongside treats such as Danish butter cookies and homemade shortbread cookies. It’s ideal for Christmas or any special occasion when you want something comforting and indulgent.

The origins of Malva Pudding trace back to late 20th-century South Africa. The dessert became popular in Cape Town and has since spawned a few variations, including Cape Brandy Pudding with dates and brandy, and chocolate malva pudding. The name “Malva” likely comes from the Afrikaans word for “marshmallow,” a nod to the pudding’s soft texture; others suggest a connection to Malvasia wine.

South African Malva Pudding Recipe

This malvapoeding starts with a light, spongy cake that is immediately drenched in a warm, buttery, evaporated-milk sauce. The sauce is made by melting butter with sugar and evaporated milk, simmering until smooth, then pouring it over the hot cake so the pudding soaks up all the flavor.

It’s the kind of dessert that feels like a deserved treat after a long day — warm, comforting, and ready in under an hour. The combination of apricot jam in the batter and the silky sauce make it irresistible. Serve it warm for the best experience.

Malva pudding sits somewhere between a souffle, a cake, and a pudding: it’s light yet dense where it counts, and the sauce turns each bite into a little indulgence. My version is adapted from Marcus Samuelson’s The Soul of a New Cuisine, with a few tweaks to balance sweetness and texture.

Ingredients For Malva Pudding

The recipe uses common baking staples plus a few key ingredients that define Malva Pudding:

• Apricot jam or preserves: Apricot jam brings a fruity sweetness and moisture to the batter. Preserves with fruit pieces work well too.
• White vinegar: A small amount acidifies the milk, acting like buttermilk to tenderize the cake and activate the baking soda.
• Evaporated milk: Used in the butter sauce to create a velvety, rich finish that soaks into the cake.

Recipe Variations

You can easily adapt this recipe by swapping the apricot jam for other preserves:

• Guava jam for a tropical guava malva.
• Strawberry jam for a berry-forward version.
• Orange marmalade for citrus notes; a splash of orange juice in the sauce enhances the flavor.
• Use 1/4 cup brown sugar in the sauce instead of white sugar for a deeper, caramel-like finish.

Substitutions

• Flour: All-purpose flour is recommended, but cake flour will give a slightly finer crumb.
• Vanilla extract: Substitute with almond extract or vanilla paste for a different aromatic profile.
• Vinegar: White wine vinegar can replace distilled white vinegar if needed.

How To Make Malva Pudding From Scratch

Follow these steps to make Malva Pudding:

1. Make the batter: Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. In another bowl, beat the egg with sugar, softened butter, and apricot jam until smooth and pale.
2. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold until combined. In a small bowl, mix milk with vinegar and vanilla, then stir into the batter. The batter will be quite loose.
3. Pour the batter into a greased, wide baking dish (an 8 by 11 inch dish works well) and bake until golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
4. Make the butter sauce: While the pudding bakes, combine butter, sugar, and evaporated milk in a saucepan and simmer gently until the butter and sugar have melted into a smooth sauce. Avoid high heat.
5. When the pudding comes out of the oven, immediately pour the warm sauce evenly over the cake so it absorbs into the crumb. Let it rest for 5–10 minutes to soak up the sauce.
6. Serve: Serve warm, as is, or with vanilla ice cream, custard, or whipped cream for an extra-special dessert.

7. Let the cake rest and absorb the hot sauce: Allow 5–10 minutes for the pudding to absorb the sauce before serving.

Can You Freeze Malva Pudding?

Yes. Malva pudding freezes well. Wrap cooled slices tightly and freeze. To reheat, thaw and warm individual slices briefly in the microwave (about 10 seconds per slice) or reheat the covered pudding in a 200°F oven until heated through. Refrigerate in an airtight container if you plan to eat it the next day.

Tips For The Best Malva Pudding

Tips gathered from repeated testing:

• Use a wide, shallow baking dish (about 8 by 11 inches) so the sauce can evenly soak the pudding. A deep, narrow dish can leave parts dry.
• If milk solids form on the sauce while simmering, skim them off before pouring to keep the sauce smooth and glossy.
• Serve warm. A scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or custard complements the pudding beautifully. A little extra jam warmed and spooned on top is also delicious.

Favorite Tools For This South African Malva Pudding Recipe(Affiliate)

• 8 by 11 inch baking dish
• Fine sieve for dry ingredients
• Whisk
• Good-quality apricot preserves

More African Desserts

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• AFRICAN TWISTED DOUGHNUTS
• MANDAZI: EAST AFRICAN DOUGHNUTS
• COCONUT SWEET: TOASTED COCONUT FLAKES
• PERFECT PLAIN CAKE

Watch Me Making This South African Malva Pudding Recipe

There is a step-by-step video demonstrating this recipe. Watch to see the batter consistency and the moment the warm sauce is poured over the hot pudding for best results.

Serving

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This post was first published on March 8th, 2019 and has since been updated with extra photos and a video.

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