Treacle Pudding or Cake

Our answer

The British Pudding called Treacle Sponge is made with golden syrup, which is a light form of sugar syrup, rather than the darker treacle or molasses. It is usually a sponge pudding cake which is steamed rather than baked. Some syrup is put in the bottom of the bowl, before the cake batter is added, so that this enrobes the cooked sponge as it is un-mouded from the bowl and it is served with extra syrup.

Nigella does have a recipe for this very traditional pudding, she calls it Steamed Syrup Sponge. We regret that it is not currently available on the website but it can be found in Nigella's book Domestic Goddess on p132. If you are buying golden syrup specially then you may also like to try another traditional pudding called Treacle Tart, made from golden syrup and breadcrumbs. Nigella has a recipe for Treacle Tart in How To Eat (p294) and a cut-and-come-again version called Treacle Slice in Kitchen (p301).