Ingredients

• 1 cup superfine sugar or 1 cup caster sugar
• 4 ounces butter
• 2 tablespoons apricot jam, smooth
• 1 large egg, largest size, beaten lightly
• 1 teaspoon baking soda or 5 ml bicarbonate of soda
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups water, boiling
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 deg F/180 deg Celsius For convection/fan ovens the heat can be a little lower.

2. Cream butter and sugar well. (Use castor sugar/superfine sugar to make it easier).

3. Add the jam and lightly beaten egg to the creamed mixture.

4. Mix the flour, ginger and salt together.

5. Mix the baking soda/bicarbonate of soda* into the cup of milk in a roomy bowl.

6. Whisk the creamed mixture alternately with the dry ingredients into the milk, to form a smooth batter.

7. To make the syrup, boil the water (using your electric kettle is fastest, then measure into a small pot). Add the sugar, and stir until sugar melts. Add vanilla.

8. Pour this syrup into an oven dish -- not shallow! Then pour the pudding batter into the boiling syrup.

9. Bake pudding for about 30 - 45 mins until brown on top and baked through. (Sorry, aunt's recipe is a bit vague on this point).

10. * Baking soda is better known as bicarbonate of soda in South Africa.