Slow Cooker Treacle Sponge

This traditional Slow Cooker Steamed Treacle Sponge pudding recipe is light, fluffy and to die for. You can use this same recipe to steam in a saucepan too. It's the same anyways. A real family favourite in my house and with good reason. Gorgeously syrupy and just begging to be drowned in custard or cream, get it on your table.

I make mine with the minimum of fuss in my slow cooker/crock pot. It takes care of the whole shebang so easily and I can completely forget about it for the couple of hours it takes to cook.

But it is equally as delicious when steamed in a saucepan or steamer.

What Is A Steamed Pudding?

A steamed pudding is a mixture that is sweet or savoury and cooked with steam in a saucepan or slow cooker. The steam is created by water that surrounds the mixture which is cooked in a heatproof bowl.

The puddings usually consist of a sponge batter with a variety of toppings.

The Christmas Pudding is an exception to the sponge rule, being rammed full of dried fruit and a generous splosh of alcohol.....never a bad thing.

I love to serve them for Sunday Lunch. The kids get excited/off their you know whats as soon as they know it's on the menu.

Simple as it is, there is still a real wow factor involved about slipping it from it's bowl onto the plate and releasing all the liquid syrup to pool about it in a general OMG syrupy manner.

How To Make Slow Cooker Treacle Sponge

There is a printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

I make mine in my free standing mixer because that is always the way I roll but a large mixing bowl and electric hand held mixer is great too.

If you're feeling energetic then a plain old wooden spoon and mixing bowl will do the same job.

Equipment Required

• mixer, mixing bowl and hand held electric whisk or wooden spoon
• scales
• kettle
• 2 pint pudding basin with lid or baking paper and silver foil square & string to secure
• large spoon
• spatula
• slow cooker or saucepan

Ingredients and Substitutions

150 grams (5.3 oz) Butter - unsalted

150 grams (5.3 oz) Flour - self raising or you can substitute plain with a tsp of baking powder

150 grams (5.3 oz) Sugar - Caster sugar refined or unrefined or you can substitute granulated

Juice of half a lemon - fresh

200 grams ( 7 oz) Golden Syrup - any brand will do.

3 Large Eggs 

3 tbsps Milk - semi skimmed or full fat

Recipe Steps

• Grease a 1.2 litre/2 pint pudding basin with butter. I use the plastic lidded bowls that are made for steamed puddings as I struggle/cannot be bothered with all the pleating and tying of string that is required for the ceramic bowls.
• Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and thickened a little. This takes a couple of minutes.

• Whisk or beat in half the beaten eggs followed by half the flour for a couple of minutes. Add the remaining eggs and flour all at once as well as the milk. Whisk or beat again for another minute.
• The batter should be a soft dropping consistency. Add a splash more milk if it's not.

• Pour 200 grams of syrup into a microwaveable bowl and add the lemon juice. Heat for 20 seconds in the microwave and stir the two together.
• Pour the syrup mixture into your pudding bowl.

• Carefully spoon the sponge mixture on top of the golden syrup so that it stays on top of the syrup.

• Smooth over and place the lid or your coverings over the top.
• Put a flat wedge of silver foil in the slow cooker to sit your pudding bowl on (this prevents the bottom of the pudding burning).
• Place the pudding bowl carefully in the slow cooker and pour just boiled water into the slow cooker bowl so that it comes ¾ of the way up the pudding bowl.
• Place the lid on and cook for 3 hours on High or 2 hrs 30 minutes in a steamer or saucepan.
• To serve take it carefully out of the slow cooker. Remove the lid and invert the pudding onto a large serving plate. Let the syrup gently flow out of the bowl as the pudding releases. I put the plate on top of the bowl and very carefully rotate so the plate is on the bottom and then slowly lift the bowl clear.

Treacle Sponge Tips

• Grease your pudding bowl generously.
• Use a plastic lidded pudding bowl for ease.
• Add a splash of milk if needed to make sure the batter is a soft dropping consistency.
• Reheat leftovers covered in the microwave
• You can steam this pudding in a saucepan too for 2 hrs and 30 minutes.

If you like this recipe then you may like these other beauties.

Steamed Sticky Toffee Pudding

Steamed Chocolate Sponge Pudding

Steamed Lemon Sponge Pudding

Apple Crumble

Apple Pie

Meringues

Apple Crumble Cake

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Do let me know how you get on in the comments below or come on over and join me on my social media pages. I would love to connect with you.