Molasses Pudding cake recipe is a southern favorite. (2024)

by Chloe Tuttle

on March 22, 2015

inHeritage,Recipes

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Molasses is a staple in the south – we use molasses for everything and Molasses Pudding is a southern tradition.

It seemed like everybody’s grandmother made Molasses Pudding and it was always a treat. In some parts of the country, it might becalled Molasses Cake, but southerners call it Molasses Pudding. Onceyou add the Bourbon Sauce, it does seem more like a pudding.

Friend Nancy and I set out to recreate this old-fashioned southern recipe and we did it! We added the Bourbon Pecan Sauce to spice it up. Southerners love molasses and use it everywhere.

Molasses Pudding cake recipe is a southern favorite. (1)

Southern Molasses Pudding Cake

This tasty pudding is an old southern classic

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: molasses cake, molasses pudding, molassses, southern comfort food

Servings: 8 pieces

Calories: 392kcal

Author: Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

For the Pudding

  • ½ cup raisins dark
  • ¼ cup Bourbon
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 1 egg if doubling recipe use 1 large egg
  • 4 Tablespoons butter ½ stick butter, melted
  • ¼ cup buttermilk
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 1 cup self-rising flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For The Bourbon Sauce

  • 4 Tablespoons butter 1/2 stick butter
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons cream
  • 1/3 cup Bourbon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  • Grease a 1½ quart glass baking dish using something like Baker's Secret cooking spray

  • Put raisins and Bourbon into small deep Pyrex dish or measuring cup and microwave for 30 seconds. Set aside to steep.

  • In medium mixing bowl stir together the egg, molasses, melted butter and buttermilk. Add the sugar, flour, baking powder and ground cinnamon. Stir to mix. Drain raisins and add drained raisins to the batter mix. Stir to combine.

  • Pour batter in to baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a straw inserted into the center of the batter comes out clean.

TO MAKE BOURBON SAUCE

  • In a small saucepan on low heat add the butter, Bourbon, brown and white sugars, cream, Bourbon and salt. Heat on low until all is dissolved. Continue to keep warm and add chopped pecans. Pour over each piece of Molasses Pudding.

  • This makes 1 cup sauce.

  • Serving Suggestions

  • Serve warm or hot or else it will be grainy. Do not cook too fast or too long; sauce will become grainy.

  • Serve hot with warm Bourbon sauce drizzled over each piece of pudding cake. If wanted you can add dollop of whipped cream.

Notes

This recipe is a favorite of southern cooks.

Nutrition

Calories: 392kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 199mg | Potassium: 302mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 475IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1.1mg

Like this recipe?Follow us on Pinterest: @bigmill or tag #bigmillbb

Molasses Pudding cake recipe is a southern favorite. (2)

There has been much written about the medicinal uses of molasses. You can read about treating hemorrhoids on the Peoples Pharmacy. Old folks used it for everything.

When my mother was a child, they made their own molasses and the process is fascinating. Melvin Price from Jamesville, NC, still makes molasses and I took a video of making molasses. Lucy (the mule) is certainly the star of this video.

The music in this video is by Molasses Creek, a great string group from Ocraco*ke Island, part of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

Molasses Pudding cake recipe is a southern favorite. (3)

Click on photo to SHARE or PIN for LATER

Molasses is a real southern treat and it is good for you. I can’t wait to make some old-time biscuits with lard and smear them with homemade butter and molasses. Give this recipe a try-it is a good thing to make for a crowd and they will love you.

Molasses Pudding cake recipe is a southern favorite. (4)

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Molasses Pudding cake recipe is a southern favorite. (2024)

FAQs

What is the use of molasses in cake? ›

Molasses serve several purposes in baked goods such as: Sweetening: contributing to sweetness, although with lower intensity than sucrose. Its sweetness decreases as color darkens. Flavor: providing a broad and complex range of flavors, from caramel to bitter notes.

What goes well with molasses? ›

Dark, sticky molasses adds a sweet, almost smoky flavor to cookies and cakes, plus it pairs perfectly with winter spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg!

Why is pudding cake? ›

Pudding cake differs from regular cake in that it forms a pudding-like layer beneath the cake layer as it bakes. This is achieved by the unique combination of ingredients and the method of baking, resulting in a moist and saucy texture.

How do you use molasses in baking? ›

You can also use it to flavor muffins, cakes, and rolls, add complexity to pumpkin pie filling or oatmeal, stir some into steamed pudding batters, flavor frosting or ice cream, or drizzle atop buttered biscuits or scones.

What flavor does molasses give? ›

The flavor of molasses reminds many of gingerbread cookies, and that's because molasses gives gingerbread its characteristic color and flavor. If you tasted it off a spoon, though, you'd detect sweet burnt caramel notes, a hint of smoke and a prune-like aftertaste.

What is Grandma's molasses used in? ›

Original molasses: amber color, used to sweeten hot cereals, yogurts or hot drinks (like coffee, tea or cocoa). It's also used in gingerbreads, cookies, pies, cakes and glazes. Robust molasses: more concentrated with a richer flavor than Original; used in slow-cooked dishes like baked beans or barbeque sauce.

Is molasses good for your stomach? ›

Dietary sugars, particularly those found in molasses, have been shown to aid bowel movements in children. The potassium content in blackstrap molasses may also play a role in controlling muscle contractions in the digestive system. This results in smoother and more regular bowel movements.

What is the best molasses to bake with? ›

Light molasses is the liquid that remains after the first white sugar is extracted from cane juice. The flavor is lighter and has more fruity notes to it, in the same way the first pressing of olives makes a lighter, fruitier olive oil. Light (sometimes called "fancy") molasses is ideal for baked goods and candies.

Which molasses is the sweetest? ›

After the first processing of sugar, you're left with light molasses: The sweetest and lightest-colored type in the group. It's the most popular type of molasses sold in the U.S. because it has the highest sugar content.

What's the difference between a pudding cake and a regular cake? ›

A cake is baked in an oven whilst a true pudding is made using suet & steamed in a muslin bag for a long time these puddings can be either sweet or savoury. Pudding is also used in Britain by some meaning dessert & could refer to almost any sweet dessert.

How is a pudding cake different from a regular cake? ›

On the surface, a pudding cake looks like a simple cake. But, as Granny spooned it hot from the oven onto our plates, the super-moist chocolate cake revealed its secret: a pudding-like sauce that formed on the bottom of the pan. Two desserts in one.

What does adding pudding to cake mix do? ›

Put some pudding in the mix: Add a small box of pudding mix in with the cake mix. (Don't make the pudding.) The mix adds additional flavor, moistness, and a denser texture.

Can you use too much molasses? ›

While molasses can be a good alternative to refined sugar, consuming too much of any added sugar can have adverse effects. The effects may be particularly harmful to people with diabetes. Also, because people make molasses in a process called fermentation, it can cause digestive problems.

Why is molasses so expensive? ›

The significant challenge is the volatility of sugar production, as molasses is a byproduct of sugar processing. Fluctuations in sugar production can directly affect molasses availability and pricing.

Why use molasses instead of sugar? ›

Many people use blackstrap molasses in place of refined sugars for health reasons. They're lower on the glycemic index than conventional sweeteners, which means they won't spike your blood sugar as much. This makes blackstrap molasses a great alternative for people working to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

What does molasses add to a recipe? ›

It is often used in baking to add flavor and moisture to cakes, cookies, breads, and other baked goods. Molasses can also be used as a natural sweetener in sauces, marinades, and other savory dishes. It is an ingredient in many traditional recipes, such as gingerbread, barbecue sauce, and baked beans.

Why do you add molasses to sugar? ›

One tablespoon of molasses per cup of granulated sugar will make something close to "light brown sugar." Add additional molasses a half-tablespoon at a time for a richer flavor and darker color closer to dark brown sugar.

References

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