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!

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!

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.

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.

• 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.

• Step Seven: Remove from the oven, serve, and enjoy!

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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• 9×9 inch baking pan
• Saucepan
• Dessert bowls

What to Serve with Radio Pudding

• Cream Cheese Cookies
• Strawberry Ice Cream
• Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
• Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream
• Maple Walnut Ice Cream

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.

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!

Vintage Desserts

• Sugar Pie
• Earthquake Cake
• Fruit Cocktail Cake
• Half Hour Pudding
• Cracker Pudding
• Wacky Cake
• Shoofly Pie

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

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