Why the humble steamed sponge still earns its place

There is something deeply reassuring about a steamed pudding. It arrives at the table looking plain and unassuming, then collapses onto the plate in a flood of golden syrup, and suddenly everyone is quiet. This is baking at its most forgiving: no icing to perfect, no careful decoration, just a soft, springy sponge and a hot, sticky sauce that forms itself as the pudding cooks. It is also one of the cheapest puddings you can make, relying on nothing more exotic than butter, flour, eggs and a tin of golden syrup from the back of the cupboard.

The method is old-fashioned, and that is the point. Steaming gives the sponge a tender, almost dumpling-like crumb that an oven simply cannot reproduce. It stays moist for hours and reheats beautifully, which makes it ideal for a Sunday lunch when nobody is quite sure what time the main course will finish.

Getting the syrup layer right

The syrup is not a garnish here; it is half the pudding. Pour it straight into the base of a well-buttered 1.5 pint (about 900ml) pudding basin before anything else goes in. For a generously sauced pudding, use 5 to 6 tablespoons of golden syrup — enough to cover the base to a depth of roughly 1cm. A squeeze of lemon juice stirred through it cuts the sweetness and stops the whole thing becoming cloying, particularly if you are serving it with custard.

Do not be tempted to stir the syrup into the batter. It needs to sit undisturbed at the bottom so that when you turn the pudding out, it pours down over the sponge in glossy rivulets. If you want a little more complexity, a tablespoon of black treacle added to the golden syrup gives a darker, slightly bitter edge that works beautifully with a spoonful of custard.

Mixing a light, reliable sponge

This is a straightforward creamed sponge, and it rewards a little patience.

• 100g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 100g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 100g self-raising flour, plus 1 level teaspoon baking powder
• A pinch of fine salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, only if needed
• Finely grated zest of half a lemon (optional, but recommended)

Cream the butter and sugar for a good four or five minutes until it is genuinely pale and fluffy — this aeration is what keeps the sponge light under steam. Add the beaten egg a little at a time, beating well after each addition, and don't worry if it looks slightly curdled; a spoonful of the flour will bring it back. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt, add the zest, then fold gently with a large metal spoon until just combined. The batter should drop reluctantly from the spoon. If it is stiff, loosen it with a tablespoon of milk.

Spoon it carefully over the syrup and level the top with the back of the spoon. Do not press down hard.

Steaming: where most puddings go wrong

Cover the basin properly, because water dripping onto the sponge is the single most common reason a steamed pudding turns out heavy and soggy. Cut a square of greaseproof paper and a square of foil, each about 30cm across. Fold a pleat down the centre of each one — this allows the covering to expand as the pudding rises. Place the greaseproof over the basin first, foil on top, and secure both with string tied tightly under the rim, then knot the ends into a loose handle so you can lift the basin in and out safely.

Sit the basin on an upturned saucer or a small trivet inside a large pan with a tight-fitting lid. Pour in boiling water until it comes roughly halfway up the sides of the basin. Bring to a steady simmer, cover the pan, and steam for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours. Top up with boiling water every half hour or so, and never let the pan boil dry. Resist lifting the lid for the first hour.

The pudding is done when a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean, and the sponge feels springy and slightly firm to the touch.

Serving, custard and the all-important turning out

Let the pudding sit for five minutes before turning it out, then run a thin knife around the inside of the basin. Place a warmed plate over the top and invert confidently in one movement. Give the basin a gentle shake; the pudding should slide free with the syrup pooling around it.

Serve in generous wedges with hot custard. Proper custard, made with egg yolks and vanilla, is worth the effort, but a good tinned or chilled custard heated gently with a splash of double cream is perfectly acceptable on a weeknight. Clotted cream, pouring cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream all work, though the classic pairing is custard and nothing else.

Variations and a few practical notes

• Jam or marmalade: swap the golden syrup for 4 tablespoons of warmed jam or a good bitter marmalade.
• Lemon: omit the syrup, add the zest of two lemons and serve with lemon curd spooned over.
• Ginger: add 1 teaspoon ground ginger and 2 tablespoons chopped stem ginger to the batter.
• Chocolate: replace 25g of the flour with cocoa and use a syrup made from 3 tablespoons golden syrup and 2 tablespoons cocoa loosened with hot water.

The pudding can be steamed a day ahead, cooled, covered and kept in the basin in the fridge, then re-steamed for 30 minutes to reheat. Leftovers are excellent cold, sliced and fried in butter until caramelised at the edges — a trick worth knowing before you consider throwing any away.