With a handful of strawberries a few simple pantry staples, this microwave strawberry sponge pudding is a quick and easy dessert that tastes just like a traditional steamed sponge pudding, but with none of the fuss!
I've been making steamed puddings in the microwave for more years than I care to think about. When the children were youngsters, our standby Sunday supper was cake and custard! I'd whip up a chocolate or coconut cake, pop it in the microwave and make a pot of custard while the cake was baking.
In those days, when I was a full-time working Mum, the only time I had for proper cooking was on a Sunday - that's when I pushed the boat out and prepared a full-on lunch-time roast with all the trimmings! Consequently, come supper time, nobody was really hungry, which made cake and custard a very appealing (and easy) supper.
I've tweaked my original (10-minute) recipe and added a strawberry compote to the pudding for a little pizzazz, so now the recipe takes all of 15 minutes to make. But hey, I think the fruity topping more than makes up for the extra 5 minutes that this strawberry sponge pudding takes to make.
This microwave sponge pudding is simple and tasty. The strawberries are microwaved for a few minutes, just to soften them. The sponge cake is carefully spooned on top of them, and as the cake bakes, the sponge gets soaked in the delicious strawberry juices.
The best part is that this strawberry sponge pudding tastes like a traditional steamed pudding that takes hours to make, but this version is ready in only 15 minutes. And even though it's quick, it still looks and tastes like a traditional steamed pudding. This is the sort of pudding you can throw together any night of the week without spending hours in the kitchen!
Jump to:
Why you'll love this easy steamed pudding
- Quick to make - ready in just 15 minutes from start to finish.
- Everyday ingredients - apart from the fresh strawberries, you probably already have flour, butter, sugar and eggs in your fridge or pantry.
- Much easier than a traditional steamed pudding - no fiddling with steamers, greaseproof paper or foil. This pudding simply goes uncovered, straight into the microwave!
- No need to turn on the oven - the microwave does all the work!
- Moist and full of flavour - the strawberry juices soak into the sponge, giving every bite a lovely fruity taste.
Recipe information
Prep time: 10 minutes to soften the strawberries and mix the cake batter.
Cooling time: 5 minutes (hint: soften the strawberries first so they can cool while you mix the cake batter).
Cooking time: 4 minutes on full power in a 900-watt microwave. Other wattage microwaves may vary.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6 people
Ingredients for a microwave strawberry sponge pudding
**You can find the exact ingredient quantities on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**
- Strawberries - the strawberries should be washed, hulled (green bit cut off) and either halved or quartered, depending on the size. You could use frozen strawberries instead, but let them defrost. The strawberries will be softened with a little sugar in the microwave for 2 minutes - frozen strawberries will probably only take 1 minute.
- Sugar - this is used both for sweetening the strawberries and to make the cake batter. I like to use caster sugar for this recipe, but you can substitute it for granulated sugar.
- Butter - cut the butter into cubes when you take it out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. This will make it easier to cream it with the sugar.
- Eggs - I used large eggs.
- Flour - this is self-raising flour. You could substitute it with plain or all-purpose flour and add a teaspoon of baking powder.
- Milk - you need only 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk to loosen the batter.
Instructions
Strawberries
Step 1: Place the chopped strawberries and sugar in a microwave-safe bowl that has a lid.
Step 2: Microwave on full power for 2 minutes. Remove from the microwave and set aside to cool.
Cake batter
Step 3: Place the sugar and cubed butter into a mixing bowl.
Step 4: Beat with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy. Use a wooden spoon if you don't have an electric mixer.
Step 5: Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.
Step 6: Stir in half the flour and 2 tablespoons of milk. Then fold in the remaining flour. Add the remaining milk only if the dough is still quite thick. You are looking for a soft cake batter.
Assemble and bake
Step 7: Transfer the cooled strawberries to a 2-litre (4 cup) greased microwave-safe bowl.
Step 8: Use a spoon to cover the strawberries with the cake batter.
Step 9: Place the bowl in the microwave and cook on full power for 10 minutes.
Step 10: Allow to cool slightly. The cake should shrink away from the side of the bowl. If it seems to be sticking, run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it.
Step 11: Cover the bowl with a plate, then invert it so the cake can drop out. Use a tea towel to help you hold the bowl - it will be hot.
Step 12: Carefully lift the bowl from the cake. The strawberry juice will run down the sides of the cake.
Serve hot, with homemade vanilla custard or ice cream.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your steamed strawberry pudding turns out perfectly every time:
- This recipe was made and tested in a 900-watt microwave. You may need to adjust the times slightly to suit your own particular microwave.
- Allow the strawberries to cool before adding the cake batter. Lukewarm is fine. If the strawberries are too hot, the cake batter will melt, and you'll end up with a mess.
- The softened strawberries will be very soft and runny, so take care when placing the batter on top. Don't pour it in all at once; use a spoon to carefully place spoonfuls on top, then spread it gently with the spoon or a fork to cover the strawberries.
- Use a large enough bowl. The batter should only fill the bowl halfway, or it may rise too much and overflow in the microwave. Yes, that's happened to me a couple of times! If in doubt, use a larger bowl!
- Don't overcook the cake, or it will become dry and hard. When you take the cake out of the microwave, the centre of the surface may have a small area that looks uncooked. This is normal for cakes made in a microwave. If you poke the cake with a toothpick, it should come out with no raw batter sticking to it, and the surface of the cake will be firm to the touch.
- Take care when tipping the cake onto a plate. The strawberries, and consequently the bowl, will be very hot. Use a tea towel or oven gloves to protect your hands.
Serving suggestions
There is quite a lot of juice from the strawberries, and this helps to keep the pudding moist. For this reason, you could serve it as is, without any custard.
However, for me, a steamed pudding has to have custard or a sauce, so I always make a jug of custard to pour over it.
It is also delicious served hot, with cold ice cream.
You might also like to add a few fresh strawberries on the side.
Variations
You can vary this recipe by swapping the strawberries for another soft fruit.
Try making it using fresh or frozen blueberries, de-stoned cherries, or a mixture of apples and blackberries.
Any fruit that releases juice when it is cooked and softened would be suitable. For this reason, I would avoid using bananas!
For even more strawberry flavour, cut up a few extra strawberries and stir them into the cake batter before baking. I haven't tried it with this particular cake, but I have done it with oven-baked cakes such as this mascarpone strawberry cake and it works well.
Equipment
This strawberry sponge pudding was made and tested in a 900-watt microwave (with a turntable). If your microwave doesn't have a turntable, rotate the bowl halfway through so that the pudding cooks evenly.
These are the main items of equipment you will need to make this microwave steamed sponge pudding:
- Microwave safe bowl with a lid, for softening the strawberries. If you bowl doesn't have a lid you could cover it with a small plate.
- Mixing bowl for mixing the batter. You don't need a huge bowl, a medium-sized one will be fine.
- Electric hand mixer. This makes short work of creaming the butter and sugar. If you don't have one, use a wooden spoon.
- A 1.5 litre (3 pint) microwave-safe bowl for baking the strawberry pudding. I used a toughened glass mixing bowl, and a pyrex bowl will be perfect. If you are unsure of the size, pour in cups of water. If the bowl holds 5 to 6 cups, you're good to go. For the record, I used a 1 litre (2-pint) bowl and it didn't overflow, but best to err on the side of caution, especially if this is the first time you are making a cake in the microwave.
Storage
Store any leftover strawberry pudding in the refrigerator with the baking dish inverted over it. It will stay fresh for 2 days.
You can reheat individual servings in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.
I'm afraid I haven't tried to freeze this cake, so I can't advise whether it would freeze well or not.
FAQ
Technically yes, but you would need a larger bowl (remember to only fill it halfway) and increase the cooking time. Check after 6 minutes, and if the cake is still very wet on top, cook for longer at 30-second intervals.
I wouldn't advise it unless it is quite a deep dish. The cake rises a lot as it cooks, and sinks back down as it cools, so there is a danger that the batter may overflow.
Make sure you are using self-raising flour, or plain flour with a teaspoon of baking powder.
It's been cooked for too long. Microwaves can vary. Reduce the cooking time slightly and check for doneness earlier.
Yes, this cake can be baked in the oven, but the texture will be different - more like an upside-down cake than a steamed pudding.
Preheat the oven to 180C/360F .
Prepare and assemble the strawberries and batter according to the recipe.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
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📋The recipe
Microwave strawberry sponge pudding
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Microwave
- 2 Microwave-safe bowls one for the strawberries; one for the cake
- Mixing bowl
- Electric hand mixer OR
- Wooden spoon
- Spatula
Ingredients
Strawberries
- 1½ cups / 200 grams fresh strawberries halved or quartered depending on size
- 2 tablespoons sugar adjust according to the sweetness of strawberries
Sponge cake
- ½ cup / 100 grams butter at room temperature
- ½ cup / 100 grams caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup / 100 grams self-raising flour
- 2 - 3 tablespoons milk as required to loosen the cake mixture
Instructions
Strawberries
- Place the chopped strawberries and sugar in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with a lid (or a plate).1½ cups / 200 grams fresh strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar
- Microwave on full power for 2 minutes. Remove from the microwave and set aside to cool.
Cake batter
- Place the sugar and cubed butter into a mixing bowl.½ cup / 100 grams butter, ½ cup / 100 grams caster sugar
- Beat with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy. Use a wooden spoon if you don't have an electric mixer.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.2 large eggs
- Stir in half the flour and 2 tablespoons of milk. Then fold in the remaining flour. Add the remaining milk only if the dough is still quite thick. You are looking for a soft cake batter.¾ cup / 100 grams self-raising flour, 2 - 3 tablespoons milk
Assemble and bake
- Transfer the cooled strawberries to a 2-litre (4 cup) greased microwave-safe bowl.
- Use a spoon to cover the strawberries with the cake batter.
- Place the uncovered bowl in the microwave and cook on full power for 10 minutes.
- Allow to cool slightly. The cake should shrink away from the side of the bowl. If it seems to be sticking, run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it.
- Cover the bowl with a plate, then invert it so the cake can drop out. Use a tea towel to help you hold the bowl - it will be hot.
- Carefully lift the bowl from the cake. The strawberry juice will run down the sides of the cake.
- Serve hot, with homemade vanilla custard or ice cream.
Notes
- This recipe was made and tested in a 900-watt microwave. You may need to adjust the times slightly to suit your own particular microwave.
- Allow the strawberries to cool before adding the cake batter. Lukewarm is fine. If the strawberries are too hot, the cake batter will melt, and you'll end up with a mess.
- The softened strawberries will be very soft and runny, so take care when placing the batter on top. Don't pour it in all at once; use a spoon to carefully place spoonfuls on top, then spread it gently with the spoon or a fork to cover the strawberries.
- Use a large enough bowl. The batter should only fill the bowl halfway, or it may rise too much and overflow in the microwave. Yes, that's happened to me a couple of times! If in doubt, use a larger bowl!
- Don't overcook the cake, or it will become dry and hard. When you take the cake out of the microwave, the centre of the surface may have a small area that looks uncooked. This is normal for cakes made in a microwave. If you poke the cake with a toothpick, it should come out with no raw batter sticking to it, and the surface of the cake will be firm to the touch.
- Take care when tipping the cake onto a plate. The strawberries, and consequently the bowl, will be very hot. Use a tea towel or oven gloves to protect your hands.
- Store any leftover strawberry pudding in the refrigerator with the baking dish inverted over it. It will stay fresh for 2 days.
- You can reheat individual servings in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.
- Assumes the cake will be cut into 5 slices, and is per slice
- Excludes custard or ice cream that you may serve with it.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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