Creating Moist Bundt Pan Steamed Pudding With Raisins

A steamed pudding, a staple of British baking, presents as a moist, cake-like Christmas dessert, studded with raisens and flavored with warming Christmas spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg.

Even though steamed pudding originates in Britain, it became a cherished Christmas tradition in my Montana family across many years; I learned the old fashioned steamed pudding recipe by observing my Mom steam it in cans.

Instead of typical cake preparation, this pudding cooks by steaming a tightly covered pudding bowl, mold, or can within boiling water; after years of can steaming, I successfully adapted this recipe for a bundt cake pan.

Reasons to Enjoy This Recipe

This recipe embodies the comforting essence of Christmas, evoking a cozy English lodge scene by a fireplace with candles; it is a rich, decadent treat paired with a sauce ideal for concluding a festive meal like Christmas!

This steam pudding keeps well when frozen, allowing for preparation ahead of time, which is helpful when managing the many elements of a Christmas dinner!

Necessary Ingredients

• 1 cup of sour cream
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 cup of molasses
• 1 egg
• 2 cups of raisens
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

Directions for This Classic Steam Pudding Recipe

1. Combine the teaspoon of baking soda with the cup of molasses; pour this into a large mixing bowl and incorporate all other components excluding the flour, mixing thoroughly.
2. Incorporate the flour incrementally, one cup at a time, stirring after each addition, until a very firm dough forms (totaling about 3 1/2 cups of flour).
3. Lightly coat the inside of a bundt cake pan using non-stick cooking spray.
4. Evenly place the prepared dough into the pan.
5. Unroll a long piece of wax paper, fold it into four layers, and cover the top of the bundt pan; secure it tightly around the top using masking or freezer tape.
6. Cover the wax paper with aluminum foil, then secure the foil and wax paper tightly on the pan with a rubberband or kitchen string (ensuring the pudding is completely sealed in its steaming vessel!); tuck any excess wax paper into the foil so it does not touch the water during steaming.
7. Insert a mold into a spacious pot and add simmering water until it reaches halfway up the basin's side. Secure the lid and heat the liquid over medium-high flame. When bubbles form, reduce the temperature to maintain a gentle steam. Allow the pudding to steam for roughly two and a half hours, checking doneness by inserting a tester; it should emerge spotless when the cake is fully cooked.
8. Turn the steamed pudding out of its container immediately and let it rest on a cooling rack.

Helpful Hints for Baking Steam Pudding Successfully

• Make sure the container housing the pudding is sealed shut very firmly!
• Coat the interior of the bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray or genuine butter. Margarine is not suitable. (My mother’s recipe emphasized this in bold text.;))
• Monitor the simmering water level consistently. If the liquid drops too low, cautiously add a small amount more.
• Should you examine the pudding near the finish line and find it requires extra time, you must retain all wax paper and foil coverings. I had to restart the process entirely. (This makes me believe a steam pudding mold with a lid would be a fantastic acquisition!)

Footage of Steam Pudding Prepared in a Bundt Pan

I never considered anything unusual about preparing steamed pudding in a tin coffee can, until a Facebook user remarked that it resembled canine chow!! Yikes…I had never entertained that thought!

That remark amused me, and it also inspired me to contemplate more attractive alternatives for steamed pudding creation.

While testing steaming it in a bundt pan for the first time, I recorded a video to capture the procedure. You can view it here:

Are Steam Pudding Molds Available for Purchase?

I only recently stumbled upon these fantastic steamed pudding molds! I consider them a brilliant concept. I would select the 8-cup capacity for this recipe.

What Constitutes Brown Sugar Hard Sauce for Steam Pudding?

Steam pudding is best enjoyed hot, accompanied by either a creamy butter and vanilla sauce or a hard sauce.

The term “hard sauce” is somewhat misleading, as it isn't actually firm. It is more of a spreadable, thick topping that can be placed into molds (if wanted) and solidified by chilling.

When deposited on warm steam pudding, it melts into a delectable golden sauce.

Traditionally, hard sauce is prepared with whipped butter, powdered sugar, and some form of “spirits” – such as brandy.

Seeking a non-alcoholic alternative, I discovered this brown sugar hard sauce claimed to originate from the "United States Regional Cookbook, Culinary Arts Institute of Chicago, 1947." The recipe calls for lemon juice, which I did not find appealing, so I substituted vanilla extract instead.

The following hard sauce recipe is utterly delicious and can even accompany hot bread pudding. However, if I had to decide between this hard sauce and the traditional cooked buttery vanilla sauce we typically make with our steamed pudding recipe (available at the bottom of this post), I would select the cooked sauce. This hard sauce has a slightly "gritty" texture due to the brown sugar – but it is delicious, and simple to prepare in advance. My husband assured me it was a success in his opinion!

Components for Non-Alcoholic Brown Sugar Hard Sauce

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, brought to room temperature
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• A pinch of sea salt
• One-quarter cup of heavy whipping cream
• Half a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Creating Brown Sugar Hard Sauce

1. Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer, beat the butter at maximum speed until it becomes extremely pale (roughly 3 minutes). Periodically scrape the sides and base of the bowl throughout the process.
2. Gradually incorporate the brown sugar and salt, scraping the bowl often and mixing thoroughly for another 3 minutes.
3. Slowly pour in the heavy whipping cream and vanilla, continuing to beat until the mixture is airy and fluffy – roughly 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Spoon the hard sauce into a serving dish and accompany it with a hot, steamed pudding.

(Note: For the photos in this article, I piped the sauce onto a chilled steamed pudding. However, I removed it so I could warm the pudding before serving it with the hard sauce on Christmas day.)

Alternative Versions

There are countless ways to prepare steamed pudding. Given the popularity of chocolate flavors, it follows that a chocolate steamed pudding paired with chocolate sauce is a favored twist!

This steamed cranberry pudding sounds incredibly delicious, featuring a hot, smooth vanilla sauce drizzled over the top.

Many confuse steamed pudding with plum pudding, which contains a mix of various fruits baked within.

One of my family members mentions that preparing steamed pudding in a slow cooker is simple! Here is a recipe for slow cooker steamed pudding if you’d like to experiment with that technique.

Preserving Steamed Pudding

Allow the steamed pudding to cool completely, then store it in an airtight container, or wrap it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, in the refrigerator (for up to 72 hours) or freezer (for up to 365 days).

Reheating Frozen Steamed Pudding

Let the pudding reach room temperature before serving. To warm it in the oven, encase the pudding in aluminum foil and place it in a warm oven (that is switched off) during your meal. When dessert time arrives, take it out and it should be heated through and ready to serve with room-temperature hard sauce.

For microwave reheating, cut a single slice and heat it in 20-second bursts until it reaches your desired warmth. Take care not to overheat it, or the texture may become tough.

Necessary Tools

My Amazon storefront contains curated lists of all my preferred kitchen gadgets!

Other Holiday Dishes:

• Church Window Cookies | Easy Holiday Treat Recipe
• Glazed Fresh Apple Cookies
• Old Fashioned Rolled Cut Out Sugar Cookies
• Easy Frosting for Sugar Cookies
• Christmas morning breakfast recipes
• 75+ Christmas cookie recipes with pictures
• Jam Sandwich Cookies with Sugar Cookie Dough