Recipe for Cheat's Treacle Sponge Pudding

There's something so warming and comforting about a sticky sweet treacle sponge.

I love baking, but I haven't got the time or inclination to steam a sponge pudding. You have to steam it for hours, watching so that doesn't boil dry. No, not my idea of baking fun - but oh the oozing golden syrup and the warm sponge. There has to be a better way...

... and there is. I give you is my mother-in-law's recipe for a cheat's treacle sponge pudding. It is easy peasy. In fact it's so simple you'll wonder why you didn't think of it.

Ingredients 

2 eggs (weigh them in their shells, this will be the weight you use for the next three ingredients)
Butter
Caster sugar
Self-raising flour (or plain flour and 1tsp baking powder)
Milk, 1-2 tbsps
Golden syrup, 150-200ml (less than half a tin)

Method 

Heat the oven to 180/gas 4.

Make an all-in-one sponge batter by whisking the eggs, butter, sugar, flour and milk for a couple of minutes.

Pour the golden syrup into the bottom of a heatproof serving dish.

Carefully spoon the cake batter over the syrup. I use two spoons; one to scoop, one to push off (as if adding mashed potato to a cottage pie). Smooth the top with the back of a spoon. 

Bake for 35-45 minutes, until a knife inserted into the centre of the sponge comes out clear.

Allow to cool a little.

Serve with custard.

You can substitute the golden syrup for a generous layer of jam if you like.