This Carrot Pudding actually draws from the English tradition of steamed puddings; they aren’t puddings like American puddings, but instead are a steamed cake filled with all kinds of interesting goodies. In this case, Carrot Pudding is filled with your guessed it, bright carrots, and also sweet dates, crunchy nuts, and even potatoes for a distinct heartiness. It’s steamed until tender and then served with a homemade buttery vanilla sauce. This might be a new twist for your next dessert, but you won’t regret making it!
Ingredients
For the pudding:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup carrots, peeled and shredded
- 1 cup potatoes, peeled and shredded
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup dates, chopped
- 1 cup nuts, of your choice
- water, boiling, to taste
For the vanilla sauce:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups water, cold
- 1/4 cup butter, cubed
- 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ground nutmeg, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Grease a 6-cup pudding mold or a metal gelatin mold.
Step 2 –In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup of the softened butter and 1/2 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes.
Step 3 –Beat in the eggs and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla.
Step 4 –In a separate bowl, combine the flour, the baking powder, the baking soda, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of the nutmeg, and the cloves.
Step 5 –Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, mixing until just combined.
Step 6 –Stir in the carrots, the potatoes, the raisins, the dates, and the nuts.
Step 7 –Pour the batter into the prepared mold.
Step 8 –Cover the mold with foil.
Step 9 –Place the mold on a rack in a stockpot.
Step 10 –Add 1-inch of boiling water to the stockpot.
Step 11 –Cover and boil the pudding, replacing the boiling water as needed to keep it at 1-inch, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes-1 hour 30 minutes.
Step 12 –Let the pudding stand for 5 minutes before unmolding.
Step 13 –In a small saucepan, combine the remaining sugar, the cornstarch, and the remaining salt.
Step 14 –Stir in the remaining 2 cups of the cold water until smooth.
Step 15 –Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
Step 16 –Cook, while stirring, until the mixture is thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 17 –Transfer the saucepan from the heat.
Step 18 –Stir in the remaining butter, the remaining vanilla, and the nutmeg.
Step 19 –Serve the sauce drizzled over the warm pudding.
