Caramel Pudding

A sweet self saucing style caramel pudding made with sweetened condensed milk and golden syrup!

Cosy winter desserts are a favourite indulgence of mine, and this condensed milk pudding is no exception!

Loaded with a sweet caramel sauce under a fluffy butterscotch caramel cake layer - this pudding will warm you from the inside out!

Traditionally, self saucing puddings, like my Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding and easy Butterscotch Self Saucing Pudding, are made by gently sprinkling a sugary mixture and boiling water over the top of the cake layer, and this forms a sauce underneath as the pudding bakes.

Whereas this luscious caramel dessert starts with a sweetened condensed milk and golden syrup layer in the base of the dish first, then the pudding mix is gently spooned over before baking. The secret's all in the sauce!

Super cosy winter puddings are a basic necessity in the colder months, don't you agree?

And speaking of comforting self saucing puddings, why not try my 'adults only' Bailey's Self Saucing Pudding... it's guaranteed to please family and friends!

Why You're Going To Love This Recipe

It's hard to resist the sauciness of this delicious winter pudding - a spongy cake layer with luscious caramel sauce hiding underneath!

• A classic dessert - the sweetened condensed milk and golden syrup sauce thickens up as the pudding bakes, giving a warm and richly flavoured sponge pudding.
• Great to share with plenty of serves - a great dessert for when you have a few extras. This pudding will easily serve 8 - especially when served with a big spoonful of ice cream on top!
• Budget friendly dessert - made with basic baking ingredients, this is why grandmas have been making self saucing puddings forever!
• Conventional and Thermomix - I have included easy instructions for caramel pudding using both methods in the post and recipe card.

What You Need

Don't forget to grab a tub of ice cream, or some thickened cream to serve with this caramel pudding.

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method!

For The Sauce

• Sweetened condensed milk - I recommend using full-fat sweetened condensed milk rather than a 'light' version, for the best results.
• Golden syrup -  is a common baking ingredient in Australia and New Zealand. If you can’t buy golden syrup, you can replace it with corn syrup, honey or maple syrup. 
• Butter.

For The Cake Layer

• Brown sugar - choose either regular light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. The dark brown sugar will give an even richer caramel flavour.
• Butter - softened to room temperature.
• Vanilla extract - use a good quality vanilla that has been extracted from the vanilla bean, such as Queen's brand, not a synthetically flavoured imitation vanilla.
• Eggs - I recommend using large 60g eggs, and have your eggs at room temperature for best results.
• Self raising flour - also known as self-rising flour. If you don’t have self-raising flour, you can make your own by sifting 2 teaspoons of baking powder through every 1 cup of plain flour.
• Milk - I recommend using full fat (full cream) milk for the best result. Have the milk at room temperature as this helps with the baking process.

Equipment Required

Caramel pudding is a classic comfort dessert that takes only 10 minutes to put together.

• Mixing bowls.
• Large (6 cup/1.6lt) baking dish.
• Larger pan - to use as a water bath, to sit the baking dish in whilst the pudding bakes.
• Microwave, stove top or Thermomix - for melting the butter with the condensed milk and golden syrup.
• Hand-held beaters, stand mixer or Thermomix - for creaming and combining the sponge pudding mixture.

Step By Step Instructions

Pop this condensed milk caramel pudding in the oven whilst dinner is cooking to finish off a cosy night in!

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method!

Step 1 - Make The Sauce

Preheat oven to 160 degrees celsius fan-forced (180 degrees celsius conventional). Grease a large 6 cup capacity (1.6 litre) baking dish and set aside. 

Place the sweetened condensed milk, golden syrup and 30g butter into a microwave safe bowl.

Heat on 50% power for 3-4 minutes, stirring each minute, until melted and slightly thickened.

Alternatively, you can do this step using a small saucepan over medium heat.

If using a Thermomix: Place the sweetened condensed milk, golden syrup and butter into the bowl and cook for 4 minutes, 50 degrees, Speed 2.

Pour the sauce into the base of the greased baking dish.

Step 2 - Cream The Butter And Sugar

Place the brown sugar, softened butter and vanilla extract into a large mixing bowl. Beat until pale and creamy.

If using a Thermomix: Mix for 15 seconds, Speed 4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat until pale and creamy.

Step 3 - Add The Eggs

Add the eggs one at a time while continuing to beat.

If using a Thermomix: Reduce to Speed 3 and add the eggs one at a time through the MC hole.

Step 4 - Alternate Adding Flour And Milk

Add half the self raising flour, then half the milk, beating between each addition.

Add the remaining flour, then the rest of the milk, and beat until combined.

If using a Thermomix: Alternate adding the self raising flour and the milk through the MC hole with the blades spinning on Speed 2. Increase to Speed 4 for 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides and repeat for a further 5 seconds.

The mixture should be smooth and well combined.

Step 5 - Bake

Spoon the cake layer mixture gently over the top of the caramel sauce.

Place the dish into a large pan and fill halfway up the side with boiling water (to create a water bath around the baking dish).

Bake in the oven for 50 minutes or until the cake layer is golden and firm to the touch (the caramel sauce in the bottom of the dish will be soft and wobbly).

Dust with icing sugar and serve warm.

Expert Tips

Only a couple of easy steps to make this self-saucing caramel pudding, and here's a few useful tips for the best results:

• Use room temperature ingredients (butter, eggs and milk) as this helps the ingredients to blend easier, and allows the baking process to start straight away when placed in the oven.
• Don’t overcook - test with a skewer – the pudding is ready as soon as a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake layer of the pudding comes out clean. Please note that the pudding will still be very wobbly (as the sauce is hiding underneath). Overcooking will reduce the amount of sauce at the base of the pudding which we don’t want to happen (we want LOTS of sauce!)
• Caramel pudding is best baked and served immediately, however it can be reheated, it's just that some of the sauce will have been absorbed into the sponge. I like to dust with a little icing sugar, and serve with ice cream, pouring cream, or custard.
• Storing - caramel self saucing pudding can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days, and reheated in the microwave. However once reheated, there will be less sauce remaining than when the pudding is straight out of the oven.
• Freezing - you can freeze condensed milk pudding as well, but again, most of the sauce is absorbed into the top pudding layer when reheated.

FAQs

Related Recipes

When those chilly nights hit, a comforting and warm self saucing pudding is the cosiest way to finish off the evening.

And there's plenty more old fashioned winter desserts to indulge in too!

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