One day recently I was pottering around the internet, as you do, clicking semi randomly and following links from place to place, when this recipe from Anne McDonald in Australia caught my eye. Unusual, and yet also familiar as it reminded me of an old school pudding from Delia Smith: Lemon surprise pudding. Delia’s recipe is in her Complete Cookery Course, originally published in 1978. I found a similar one (same name too) on the BBC site by Jane Grigson here. It’s not quite the same as the Delia one and I haven’t tried it. Anyway the idea of a cake mixture that separates while cooking into a sauce or a custard is not totally new to me. I’ve never thought of it as a cake before though, just as a hot pudding. It’s really good as a hot pudding by the way!
So the magic of the cake is that the mixture separates itself into layers – sponge on top and custard below. Since cake and custard is a classic combo (think of all those school dinners with their delicious puddings!) I just had to give it a go. You need 500ml (or a pint) of milk, and since there was a bit of a milk lake in the fridge it seemed the time was right.
It’s a straightforward process making the batter, although I would recommend an electric whisk for the egg yolks and sugar, and the egg whites. Don’t be put off by the very liquid state of the cake batter – it does literally pour into the tin. It is supposed to do that and it will bake into a proper cake.
While I was mixing I thought about making a version based on that other school dinner classic – chocolate sponge and chocolate custard… Do you think it would work? I think it probably would, so I might have a go at trying that and see what happens!
Eat Cake And Run 
What happens to these scrumptious cakes you bake? Do they go to the highest bidder?
I wonder if a quarter or a third marathon might get more folks interesting in running?
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Cake doesn’t last long in this house Mike!!
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Hi Emily… Just back from taking some Polish friends to work in East Acton and visiting the brand new EB Wenzels where Carphone Warehouse used to be as they have a week of cheap drinks offers! I opened my grey metal box (a ‘present’ from the ex- NatWest Bank West Ealing after I tackled an armed bank robber!) and…Hey Presto! Many thanks Emily. I will return the container next time I am down your way….at 6am tomorrow. Mike T ________________________________
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Fascinating…might give this a go. Was it delicious? Did you end up eating it hot or cold?
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It was very tasty, a subtle orange flavour. Ate it cold, well, room temp. Give it a go!
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Delicious. I never thought of warming it up. Which is better – microwave or oven?
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Microwave is quicker!
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This looks so tasty, thank you for the post.
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Thanks for reading, and taking the time to comment!
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That container is ideal as it fits through your letter box thus foxing the foxes! ________________________________
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Looks great!
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