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–+ servings

Malva Pudding Cakes

Makes 8 cakes Adapted from Everything I Want to Eat: Sqirl and the New California Cooking by Jessica Koslow
These pudding cakes get baked in small, ungreased paper panettone molds. Plan on serving them in the cups because I don't think you'd have much luck getting the pudding cakes out neatly. They're best enjoyed by digging a spoon right in. Small panettone molds (about 2 1/2" x 1 3/4," 6.5 x 4.5cm) can be found in cookware stores or online. I tried baking a few cakes with free-standing muffin baking cups, the kind that will stand up on their own, and don't need to be baked in a muffin tin, which worked very well. (The portions will be more modest as well, although you'll need more than 8 of those cups since they're smaller.) Fill each halfway up with the batter and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until deeply bronzed across the top, like the larger ones. Make sure the filling is quite hot when you pour it in. If you make it a bit in advance and it cools down, rewarm it before pouring. I made these a couple of times and had some leftover filling so you may not need it all. Next time I might try reducing it to 1/2 cup cream, 1/2 cup sugar, 6 tablespoons butter, and 2 1/2 tablespoons of water. But since I don't want you to get caught short, make them as written and if you find you have leftover, make a note to make the reduced amount of filling the next time. And there will be a next time...
Servings 8 servings

For the cakes

  • 1 cup (140g) flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, preferably aluminum-free
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup (200g) sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
  • 1/4 cup (75g) strained apricot jam
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon apple cider or white vinegar
  • 1 cup (250ml) whole or lowfat milk

For the filling

  • 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup (150g) sugar
  • 1/2 cup (4 ounces, 115g) unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) water

For the cakes

  • Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Set 8 small panettone molds on a rimmed baking sheet.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
  • In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or by hand in a medium bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, and salt on medium speed until the batter is thick and pourable, like a melted milkshake, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the jam until incorporated. Then mix in the melted butter and vinegar.
  • Add one third of the milk, then half of the flour mixture. Then add another third of the milk, then the rest of the flour. Finally, add the rest of the milk and stir until smooth. If there are large lumps, whisk it briefly, just enough until the batter is smooth.
  • Pour the batter into the 8 molds, which will fill them a little more than halfway up. Bake the cakes until they are deeply bronzed across the top, 35 to 40 minutes. The cakes need to be well-baked, or as Jessica says, "...almost overbaked - in order to soak up the filling."

For the filling

  • While the cakes are baking, heat the cream, sugar, butter, and water, whisking gently, until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Keep warm while the cakes are baking, or rewarm right before filling the cakes. (I found it easiest to transfer the hot filling to a measuring cup, for pouring in the next step.)
  • When the cakes come out of the oven, using the tip of a paring knife to poke and pull back a little flap from the middle of the top of each. Poke the knife in the cake to make a little space inside and pour enough of the filling in each until the cakes can't take any more of the filling.
  • Once you've filled all the cakes, go back and repeat the process, filling the cakes with additional filling just until it reaches the top. You may have not use all the filling but don't worry if some spills over.

Notes

Serving: Serve the cakes warm. They need no accompaniment.
Storage: The cakes can be made up to two days in advance, although are at their best served the same day they are made, preferably warm from the oven. You can rewarm them on a baking sheet in a 325ºF/160ºC oven, until they're warmed through.