Ingredients

• 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
• softened
• plus extra for greasing
• 2 tbsp golden syrup
• plus extra for serving
• 115g/4¼oz plain flour
• sifted
• 1½tsp baking powder
• 2 large free-range eggs
• 115g/4¼oz brown sugar
• vanilla custard
• to serve (optional)

Directions

• Generously grease a 900ml/1½ pints pudding basin with butter
• then chill in the fridge for 4-5 minutes.
• When the basin is chilled
• drizzle the golden syrup into the base of the basin.
• In a large mixing bowl
• whisk together the flour
• baking powder
• eggs
• brown sugar and butter until the batter is smooth and well combined. Spoon the cake batter into the pudding basin.
• Fold a large piece of aluminium foil in half and grease one side with butter. Wrap the pudding in the greased foil
• greased side facing into the pudding. (Pleat the foil a few times as you wrap it to allow room for the pudding to expand.) Secure the foil to the rim of the pudding basin with string.
• Place the wrapped pudding into a large steamer. (Alternatively
• place the wrapped pudding into a large pan
• pour in enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the basin
• then cover the pan with a lid.) Steam the pudding over a medium heat for 1 hour 30 minutes
• or until cooked through
• topping up the steamer with boiling water as necessary. (NB. The pudding is cooked through when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.)
• To serve
• turn the steamed pudding out into the centre of a serving plate. Cut it into slices and drizzle over any remaining golden syrup
• to taste. Serve with extra golden syrup and vanilla custard
• if using.