Malva Pudding Recipe (Traditional South African Bruin Poeding)

This malva pudding recipe is a traditional South African dessert passed down through generations. Known in our family as bruin poeding, this soft, syrup-soaked pudding is rich, comforting, and filled with memories of Christmas lunches, braais, and family gatherings. Made even more special with homemade apricot jam, it’s best served warm with custard or ice cream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine South African

Keyword bruin poeding, easy malva pudding, malva pudding recipe, South African dessert, traditional malva pudding

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 40

Total Time 1 55

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

Ingredients (Pudding)

250 ml sugar
5 ml salt
250 ml milk
60 ml apricot jam preferably homemade
2 eggs beaten
60 ml vinegar
7.5 ml baking soda
500 ml cake flour
10 ml baking powder

Ingredients (Sauce)

1250 ml water
750 ml sugar
250 g butter
10 ml vanilla essence
Salt to taste

Instructions

Pudding

Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a deep oven-safe dish.
In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, salt, milk, apricot jam, and beaten eggs until well combined.
In a small bowl, mix the vinegar and baking soda, then add it to the batter.
Add the cake flour and baking powder, and mix until smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared dish.
Bake for 90 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

Sauce

In a pot, combine the water, sugar, butter, vanilla essence, and salt.
Bring to the boil and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

Final Steps

As soon as the pudding comes out of the oven, immediately pour the hot sauce over it.
Return the pudding to the oven for another 10 minutes to allow the sauce to soak in.

Notes

This pudding is best served warm.
Delicious with custard, vanilla ice cream, or both.
Using homemade apricot jam enhances the flavour and adds a nostalgic, richer taste.
Perfect for Sunday lunches, braais, or festive occasions like Christmas.