Basic Sponge Pudding Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven Gas 4/355F degrees.
• Well butter 2 1/2 to 3 inch deep pie dish.
• Cream together the butter or margarine and sugar.
• Add eggs one at a time with a little flour until smooth.
• Add remaining flour, baking powder (if used) and salt, beating well.
• Add the milk, and beat again.
• Pour mixture into dish and smooth the top.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until well risen and brown.
• Variations to the Basic Sponge: Sultana Sponge; Put 2 oz sultanas in the bottom and around the sides of a well buttered dish, pour on the mixture.
• Apricot Sponge: Add 3 soaked apricots chopped small, to the mixture, put 3 or 4 apricot halves in the bottom of the dish, pour on the sponge mixture.
• Jam Sponge: Put 3 or 4 tblsp of any kind of jam in the bottom of the dish, pout on the sponge mixture.
• Syrup Sponge: Put 1 tblsp of golden syrup in the bottom of the dish, pour on mixture.
• Chocolate Sponge; Substitute 1 tblsp cocoa for 1 oz.
• flour, sieving it with the flour.
• Ginger Sponge; Add 1 tspn ground ginger to the flour and use 4 oz golden syrup instead of sugar, melted in warmed milk.
• Black Cap Pudding:Put a tblspn cleaned currants in the bottom of the dish, pour on the mixture.

Steps:

• In a bowl cream the Butter and Sugar together untill smooth.
• Add in the Eggs, and beat quickly so that it does not curdle (You could add a tbsp of flour at this point - if you are worried about it curdling).
• Once the Eggs are combined, add in all of the Flour, and combine together, try to get as much air in the mixture as possible.
• Grease a separate bowl with a little butter. In the bottom of the bowl put in your topping, (eg - Jam).
• Once the Jam is in the bottom, add the sponge mixture on top of the Jam and level out slightly.
• Cover with cling film or a plate and microwave for about 6-8 minutes (Time may vary on individual microwaves - so if you think it needs more time dont worry - you cant over cook the sponge - just be carefull if you have used chocolate spread this can burn)
• Once cooked remove the cling film or plate (be carefull it will be hot). Place a large plate over the top of the bowl - holding the bowl and plate together - flip the bowl upside down and the sponge should land on the plate. Take the bowl off, cut into 4 and serve with custard.

Steps:

• Mix the sugar, butter, flour, eggs, lemon zest and vanilla together until creamy, then spoon into a medium microwave-proof baking dish. Microwave on High for 3 mins, turning halfway through cooking, until risen and set all the way through. Leave to stand for 1 min.
• Meanwhile, heat the lemon curd for 30 secs in the microwave and stir until smooth. Pour all over the top of the pudding and serve with a dollop of crème fraîche or scoops of ice cream.

Steps:

• In a microwavable bowl, put the jam or syrup so that it covers the bottom. This will be the top of your cake.
• Here it is best to use a food processor, although if you want to you can do it by hand. Put all of the remaining basic ingredients into a bowl (or the mixer) with one of the flavour ingredients. If you want to, you can keep it plain.
• Mix or blend all of the ingredients together until smooth.
• Put in bowl on top of jam/syrup and microwave without a lid on full for 5 mins. Leave for 1-2 mins to stand.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Butter a 25cm square or 20 x 30cm rectangular cake tin or baking dish.
• Beat the butter, sugar, flour, eggs and vanilla extract together until smooth. Spread the jam over the base of the tin, and dollop over the cake batter. Spread over evenly. Bake for 20-25 mins until the sponge is light golden and risen, and a skewer inserted into the middle comes back clean. Serve warm with custard, cream or ice cream.