Spiced Oatmeal Pudding

Steaming Puddings in a Steamer Trunk

When Grandma emigrated from England in 1929, she packed up her love of steamed puddings and brought it along. A close study of her recipe box confirms this. I counted no less than 14 recipes for steamed puddings, which means if I test one a month, I’ll be in hot water for the next year or so. 

Before we get to the test of Spicy Oatmeal Pudding, I’d better answer a few of the burning questions I’m sure you have. 

What is a steamed pudding anyway? 

In texture and appearance, it’s closer to a cake than to what those of us in the US typically think of as pudding. However, It’s often denser and is ideally served warm, topped with custard, a sauce (such as butterscotch or lemon), whipped cream, or ice cream.  

Why would I want to make a steamed pudding? 

If the idea of a spicy, warm cake-like confection drizzled in a sweet sauce and dolloped with cream doesn’t persuade you, then nothing will. However, I will add that steamed puddings are deliciously moist because they’re cooked with hot steam rather than hot air. In short, they are old-fashioned comfort food at its most comforting. 

Why wouldn’t I want to make a steamed pudding?

Because they take time, and maybe that’s why the cookie is more popular in the US than the steamed pudding. With our busy lifestyles, it’s hard to think of spending an hour and a half tending a dessert when you can bake a cookie in 10 minutes or a pan of brownies in 25. You might also have an aversion to some of the more common ingredients found in a steamed pudding, such as raisins, dates, or nuts. There’s a solution to that problem. Keep reading to find out what it is.  

First, let’s consider this question: Are steamed puddings hard to make?   

The short answer is . . . it depends. Christmas Pudding with all its grated and ground ingredients can be time-consuming, which is possibly why it was only made once a year and why all hands helped out. However, today’s recipe is about as easy as they come. 

To begin, I tossed all the dry ingredients, including the raisins, in one bowl. 

Next, I stirred together the buttermilk, vanilla, and melted butter. I took the liberty of using butter instead of shortening because butter is mentioned in the directions.  

Finally, I combined the wet and dry ingredients using my Danish whisk. 

The whole process took less than five minutes. 

If you read this post on Christmas Pudding, you’ll recall that I bought a pudding mold for the express purpose of testing all the steamed puddings I saw in my future. I sprayed the mold with nonstick spray. 

I then spooned the batter in. 

If you don’t have a lidded mold like this (and why would you?), you can use a 2-quart bowl or a couple of Mason jars. Cover with a double layer of tinfoil,  as Grandma suggests, or use heavy-duty foil. Use lids and rings, if using Mason jars. 

When I made Christmas Pudding in December of 2023, I tested out a pressure cooker, which worked well. This time, however, I stuck with steaming the pudding the old-fashioned way because I had never tasted this recipe before. I wanted to know how it should taste before I started to fiddle. 

Luckily, I have a tall pot that's the perfect size for steaming a single pudding. If I’m doing multiple puddings, (some to eat, some to freeze), I scoop the batter into Mason jars and steam them in a canning kettle like this one. To my pot, I added enough water to come halfway up the mold, brought it to a boil, then lowered the pudding in. I placed the lid on top of my pot, reduced the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and set my timer for an hour and a half. 

Once the time was up, I pulled it out. As you can see below, it rose clear to the lid. Not very attractive here . . . 

But once I turned it out . . .  

I made the butterscotch sauce below to go with it. Some of us topped ours with ice cream and a drizzle of sauce. 

Others, meaning me, went for the sauce first then a large, unsightly dollop of cream.  

The Verdict

Yum. That’s all there is to say. 

Wait. I will say more. Sweet, cinnamony, a little bit chewy, and a lot of delicious. I recommend this steamed pudding, but if you don’t like raisins, other dried fruits would also work—cranberries, cherries, blueberries, dates, pineapple . . . you name it. Or you could leave out the dried fruit and add nuts instead. The possibilities are only limited by what you enjoy. 

And that’s another reason to like steamed puddings. After examining six different versions of Grandma's Christmas Pudding, I realized that puddings are extremely versatile. You can put in what you like or what you have on hand.   

If you’re ready to dive into the world of steamed puddings, this recipe is the perfect springboard.  I changed its name to Spiced Oatmeal Pudding because this dish is not spicy hot. It's basic, simple, and cozy.