4.46 from 35 votes

Radio Pudding

This vintage radio pudding tastes just like grandma used to make with its luscious butterscotch sauce and super sweet flavor. Plus, it’s super easy to make and can be whipped up last-minute for those pot lucks and winter gatherings!

Radio pudding in a pan with a scoop removed.


My Grandma June used to feed us this recipe constantly as kids, and I still remember the sweet raisins, spongy base and glorious sauce.

 But these days, I tend to load it up with a drizzle of whipped cream or an indulgent scoop of my favorite ice cream! Don’t worry though – it tastes just as good the old-fashioned way.

Although the butterscotch sauce looks a touch thin when you pour it into the baking tray, it thickens up beautifully when baked. 

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    And when it’s done, you can just scoop it out of the pan and straight into a serving dish. That’s right, there’s no waiting around with this bad boy.

    Now let’s get baking!

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    Why You’ll Love This Radio Pudding

    • It’s easy to make and has a vintage charm that you’re bound to adore at family gatherings.
    • The combination of butter, raisins, and brown sugar makes this pudding seriously indulgent.
    • It pairs well with everything from a pour of fresh cream to a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
    • It’s perfectly sweet and super delicious.

    Ingredients

    The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.

    For the batter

    • Sugar. To give the pudding its signature sweetness. Caster sugar is a good choice for this recipe, but any sugar you have on hand should work.
    • Vanilla extract. This handy ingredient enhances the other flavors in the recipe and prevents your pudding from tasting flat.
    • Unsalted butter. Unsalted butter is best for radio pudding as you’ll be balancing things with a pinch of salt.
    • Milk. To loosen up the batter while making the texture lighter and stronger. You can thank the protein and lactic acid for that!
    • Baking powder. To help your radio pudding rise to the occasion.
    • Flour. Regular plain flour is what you’ll be using, but you can substitute this for self-raising if you remove the baking powder.
    • Raisins. For a hint of sweetness and a pleasant chewiness!
    • Pinch of salt.

    For the sauce

    • Brown sugar. Brown sugar gives the sauce a molasses-like look, texture, and taste which is seriously satisfying.
    • Hot water. Helps the ingredients blend together and prevents it from becoming too gloopy.
    • Unsalted butter. To make the sauce creamy, rich, and oh-so-satisfying.
    Ingredients to make radio pudding.

    How to Make Radio Pudding

    • Step One: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    • Step Two: Add the sauce ingredients to a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil.
    • Step Three: Bring it to a boil for 2 minutes and then remove it from the heat.
    • Step Four: Pour the batter into a 9-inch square baking dish.
    Steps to make radio pudding.
    • Step Five: In a large bowl, mix together the batter ingredients and drop it by large tablespoonfuls into the sauce.
    • Step Six: Bake for 30 minutes or until the pudding is perfectly golden brown.
    Steps to make radio pudding.
    • Step Seven: Remove from the oven, serve, and enjoy!
    Radio pudding in a parfait dish.

    Equipment Needed

    You don’t need much equipment to bring this radio pudding to life. But I find that having these key pieces of equipment makes the entire preparation process much easier!

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    What to Serve with Radio Pudding

    Radio pudding in a parfait dish with a spoon.

    Recipe Tips and Tricks

    • Don’t forget to remove the sauce from the heat after 2 minutes. It’s not a good idea to burn your sauce (which is possible!) or it’ll turn slightly bitter and gooey. If in doubt, set a timer to remember to remove it.
    • Try to add your batter tablespoonfuls evenly. This probably goes without saying, but it’s a great idea to spoon your batter carefully for an even bake.
    • To avoid taking the cake out too early, use the toothpick method. The toothpick should come out clean with a couple of crumbs when it’s ready to be removed from the oven. If it’s wet, leave the cake in for a few more minutes.
    Radio pudding on a plate with vanilla ice cream.

    Variations and Substitutions

    • If you want to try and make it vegan, you can switch out butter for vegan margarine and the milk for oat milk. It won’t be a perfect substitute, but it should get you to where you need to be!
    • If you don’t have plain flour to hand, self-raising flour will work as a one-for-one substitute. Just remember to remove the baking powder from the recipe if you do this.

    Storage Instructions

    This radio pudding stores well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. 

    I recommend gently reheating it in the oven at 350 degrees to retain its texture.

    Can I Freeze?

    This vintage radio pudding freezes surprisingly well in portions for up to 3 months. Just remember to defrost it in the fridge the day before you plan to eat it!

    Radio pudding on a plate with vanilla ice cream.

    Vintage Desserts

    You might also like these depression era recipes, Sour Cream Raisin Bars and Pineapple Rice Pudding.

    Follow me on Instagram @simplystacieblog, Facebook at Simply Stacie, TikTok @simplystacierecipes or Pinterest at @simplystacie and let me know how you liked this recipe and my other recipes.

    4.46 from 35 votes

    Radio Pudding

    Created by Stacie Vaughan
    Servings 6
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Total Time 40 minutes
    A simple vintage recipe that has been passed down from generation to generation. The cake base bakes right in a luscious butterscotch sauce.

    Ingredients
     
     

    Batter

    • ½ cup sugar
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 2 tbsp unsalted butter softened
    • ½ cup milk
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 1 cup flour
    • ½ cup raisins
    • pinch salt

    Sauce

    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • 2 cups hot water
    • 2 tbsp unsalted butter

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F.
    • Add sauce ingredients to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Pour into a 9-inch square baking dish.
    • In a large bowl, mix together batter ingredients. Drop by large tablespoonfuls into the sauce.
    • Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 266mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 39g

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Course Desserts
    Cuisine American
    Keyword Radio Pudding

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    Recipe Rating




    26 Comments

    1. Nevermind says:

      My mom used to make this long ago but  we knew it as Half-Hour Pudding

    2. I’m so excited to find this recipe! My Mom used to make it when we were kids but I didn’t have the recipe before this. It’s in the oven now! Thanks so much for sharing!!!

    3. My Mom called washday pudding

    4. I didn’t have much hope for this when I put it in the oven, the sauce was so thin just as you said. But it baked up beautifully and was really delicious. My husband and I finished the whole dish in one night! Thanks for a great recipe!

    5. Patricia Stewart says:

      love finding this old recipe. remember it from long ago.

    6. 5 stars
      Excellent. Really enjoyed it.

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