Treacle Sponge Pudding

Ingredients

• 150ml boiling water
• 50g demerara sugar
• 6 tbsp black treacle
• 2 large eggs
• 200g self-raising flour, sifted
• 60ml milk
• 100g caster sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 150ml double cream (to serve, optional)

Method

1. Generously butter a 1.2–1.5 litre pudding basin. Spoon the black treacle and demerara sugar into the base, then pour over the boiling water and swirl gently until the sugar dissolves into a glossy, dark syrup.
2. Beat the softened butter and caster sugar for 3–4 minutes until pale, fluffy and noticeably lighter in colour. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each and scraping down the bowl to keep it smooth.
3. Sift in the self-raising flour, baking powder and salt, then fold through gently. Loosen with the milk and vanilla until you have a smooth, dropping consistency that falls reluctantly off the spoon.
4. Spoon the batter carefully over the treacle base and level the top. Cover with a pleated double layer of buttered foil and tie tightly with string under the rim.
5. Sit the basin in a large pan, pour in boiling water to come halfway up the sides, cover and steam at a steady simmer for 1 hour, topping up with boiling water as needed so it never runs dry.
6. Lift out the basin and test with a skewer — it should come out clean and the sponge should spring back to a light press. Rest for 5 minutes.
7. Run a knife around the edge, invert onto a deep plate and lift off the basin so the molten treacle cascades down the sides of the sponge.
8. Serve immediately with cold double cream or a generous pour of hot custard.