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Hi Bold Bakers!
Streamed Marmalade Pudding may not be a common dessert in the US, but it’s a favorite in both England and Ireland. Actually, this steamed marmalade pudding may — no joke — be my favorite new dessert this year!
Steaming cakes, or “puddings,” is very common for us back over the pond. A good steamed pudding brings up lovely memories from childhood for many people who still live in the UK and Ireland and for any ex-pat. For those unfamiliar, this is a cake batter that is steamed. And this steamed pudding recipe results in an unbelievably moist cake that is irresistible when paired with my Creme Anglaise. It’s tangy, sweet, creamy, soft… everything!
A steamed pudding is an easy dessert to make (you can check out my How To Steam A Christmas Pudding informational article if you need to, too), and I am so excited for you to try it out for yourself if you’ve never had one! And even more excited if it brings up some fond memories of your home if you have had it before!
What Is A Steamed Pudding?
Steamed pudding isn’t really like pudding. Actually, it’s more like a very moist cake — but instead of baking the cake ingredients, they are put into a mold and slowly steamed for about 2 hours. It’s a simple, easy dessert that needs little attention while steaming. You just have to check to make sure the water doesn’t boil dry.
What You Need To Make Marmalade Pudding
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Medium Mixing bowl
- 1.4-liter pudding basin
- Food processor
- Large pot
- Steamer (or an upturned plate)
- Parchment paper and tin foil
How To Make Steamed Marmalade Pudding
After making this, you’ll understand why Christmas carolers go from wishing you a “Merry Christmas and a happy new year” to demanding “Bring us some figgy pudding and bring it right here!” Here’s how you make steamed marmalade pudding (and don’t forget to get the full recipe with measurements, on the page down below):
- Butter the bottom and sides of a 1.4-liter pudding basin and spoon the marmalade into the base.
- In a food processor, process the roughly chopped orange (minus the pips) until finely chopped. Place in a bowl and set aside.
- Put the softened butter, sugar, eggs, flour, bicarbonate soda (baking soda), baking powder, ginger, and salt in the food processor and process until smooth and creamy. It should take about 20 seconds. Add the chopped orange and process for a second to combine. (There’s no need to wash your food processor between the 2nd and 3rd step.)
- Spoon the cake mixture into the pudding basin and cover with parchment paper and then foil. Secure with a string around the basin to make it easy to lift from the pot.
- In your large pot, place your steamer. If you don’t have a steamer, you can use an upturned plate. Pour in enough boiling water to reach the base of the streamer.
- Cover and steam for about 2 hours. Be sure to top with more boiling water when needed.
- After about 2 hours, while it is still warm, remove the parchment and foil and turn the pudding onto a serving plate. You’ll want it to be still warm, so the sticky marmalade layer stays intact.
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Steamed Marmalade Pudding
- Serve with my homemade Creme Anglaise.
- Don’t have a pudding basin? click here or alternatively use any round glass or porcelain bowl you can find.
- You can make this recipe with a large lemon instead of an orange.
- Be sure to turn the pudding out of the basin while still warm for an easy release.
- Make your own brown sugar!
How Do I Store Steamed Pudding?
You can store steamed pudding in your refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Make More Recipes!
And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
Full (and printable) recipe below!
Try These Recipes!
Steamed Marmalade Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons coarse orange marmalade
- 1 medium orange with skin on roughly chopped
- ½ cup (4oz/115g) butter softened
- ⅔ cup (4oz/115g) light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cup (6¼/177g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Creme Anglaise to serve
Instructions
- Butter the base and sides of a 1.4-liter pudding basin or a medium glass or plasitc mixing bowl. Spoon the marmalade into the base.
- Put the roughly chopped orange (minus the pips) in a food processor, then process until finely chopped. Place in a bowl and set aside.
- In the same food processor after the orange, put softened butter, sugar, eggs, flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, ginger, and salt and process until smooth and creamy, roughly 20 seconds. There is no need to wash the food processor between these steps.
- Lastly, add in the chopped orange and process for a second to combine.
- Spoon cake mixture into the prepared basin. Cover with greaseproof paper and then foil. Secure with a string around the basin to make it easy to lift it from the pot.
- In a large pot, place in a steamer. Pour in enough boiling water to reach the base of the steamer. If you don't have a steamer you can place the basin on an upturned plate.
- Cover and steam for roughly 2 hrs, topping up with water when necessary.
- While still warm, remove the parchment and foil and turn the pudding onto a serving plate. Do this step while it's warm so the sticky marmalade layer stays in tack.
- Serve the pudding hot with Creme Anglaise or vanilla ice-cream. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Oh please, please do a video! I want to try this, but I’m very intimidated 😃
Hi, l’m a mere male beginner cook( (lol) do you have a video of the steaming process including the rope part, foil and parchment paper section of this bake
Can jarred marmalade be used instead? If so, what measurement amount?
Tastes awesome ! Absolutely divine ! I’m so happy with the result. Have uploaded the picture. Gemma your recipes are so perfect…gave me the required confidence as a new baker.
Thanks for sharing this amazing pudding recipe.
Love 💕
Absolutely delicious. Everyone loved it. I have never made many puddings before following your site. Last year was my first Christmas pudding and I will make that again this year. I love your site and watching your videos. Thank you from New Hampshire 🙂
Any idea of how long to steam this in a instapot pressure cooker on steam? Or would it be for the same amount of time?
Made this today and it’s absolutely delish, can’t wait to try a lemon one but as I live alone this one will last a few days…….or maybe not!
Thank you
I made it exactly following the recipe. It is spectacular! I plan to explore some additional “pudding” recipes and am ordering a real pudding basin. The only problem I had was unmolding it. Some of the marmalade (actually most of it) stayed in the mold.. Did I unmold while it was too hot. How long do you usually wait. I have some ginger preserves. I am thinking about trying it with those or perhaps half ginger and half orange.
Wow yes remember all those steamed pudding spotted dick Christmas puddings with Birds custard. I grew up In Ireland. Galway. Now. Living out side Boston
Hello, is there a GF option you can recommend?