Christmas Carrot Pudding (Festive Steamed Recipe) - Around The Nook (2024)

by Donnalea

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This Christmas Carrot Pudding is a family favorite festive dessert that’s easy to make and is so delicious!

This carrot pudding is a moist dessert that everyone will love! Using staple ingredients mixed with grated carrots and potatoes, then sweetened with the goodness of raisins and currants. It’s steamed slowly to create a festive treat like no other.

This Christmas pudding recipe has stood the test of time, and while it takes a bit of time to cook, it is actually super simple to make. Plus the end result is definitely worth it!

Christmas Carrot Pudding (Festive Steamed Recipe) - Around The Nook (1)
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Traditional desserts, like homemade brownies or apple bars, that have been passed down from family members are so special. And this Carrot pudding is no different, passed down to me from my mother in law. It also happens to be very similar to a pudding that my own mom used to make. I love how simple it is to make and how absolutely moist and delicious it is!

Christmas Carrot Pudding (Festive Steamed Recipe) - Around The Nook (2)

A Christmas pudding is generally a combination of dried fruits and sometimes nuts, eggs or molasses, spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg, with flour and lard or butter. The pudding is steamed for hours and usually served with some kind of topping.

Years ago, folks created recipes from the ingredients that they had on hand and were affordable. So it made perfect sense to use root vegetables harvested and stored away combined with simple staples like flour and spices. In early recipes, suet replaced butter, which makes me extra thankful that butter is plentiful today!

I think the history of a Christmas pudding is what really draws me to including it in my own Christmas traditions. I love the fact that this simple dessert, that has stood the test of time, is still enjoyed today.

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How To Make Carrot Pudding

Making carrot pudding could not be easier!

  • Prepare a small bowl that has a lip, with butter. Cut a small circle of parchment to line just the bottom of the bowl.
  • Prepare and set aside all ingredients. Shred the carrots and potatoes. Sprinkle the potato with baking soda and set aside.
  • Cream together the butter and sugar, then add the currants, raisins, grated carrot and potato. Mix.
  • Add the flour and spices and stir only till just combined.
  • Fold into prepared dish and place in steamer for 3 hours. Learning how to steam a pudding is easy, just follow these easy instructions!
  • Remove and immediately turn upside down to remove the pudding from the bowl.

PRO TIP: If you have allowed your pudding to sit a bit too long and find it hard to turn out of the bowl, place it in a pan of hot water for about 5-10 minutes. This will soften the edges enough to turn out easily when flipped upside down.

Christmas Carrot Pudding is delicious on its own, but even more indulgent with a caramel or bourbon sauce. Whipped cream or ice cream are delicious toppings as well! Add chopped nuts or coconut flakes for a festive flair.

This dessert freezes wonderfully, so it’s the perfect choice for this busy time of year. After the pudding is cooled, cover with foil, then in plastic wrap and place in the freezer.

Thaw completely, and re-steam (if desired) before serving. Or alternately you can leave the tin foil on and reheat in a low heat oven just to warm. If you have an instant pot, it works wonderfully to re-heat this carrot pudding using the warm function.

Christmas Carrot Pudding (Festive Steamed Recipe) - Around The Nook (4)

Our holiday meal is not complete unless it ends with a dish of this Christmas Carrot Pudding. It is an old time favorite Christmas dessert that I love and I hope you will too!

Favorite Festive Recipes!

Butter Tart Bars – so easy!

No Bake Peanut Butter Balls – for peanut lovers.

Easy Whipped Shortbread– a classic!

Mom’s Magic Cookie Bars Recipe – perfect for the holidays.

Graham Cracker Toffee Bars – 15 minute prep!

Christmas Carrot Pudding (Festive Steamed Recipe) - Around The Nook (5)

Christmas Carrot Pudding Recipe

Carrot Pudding is a traditional dessert that is easy to make and so delicious!

Print Pin

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: carrot pudding, carrot pudding recipe, christmas pudding recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours hours

Total Time: 3 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 335kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 cup potato grated
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup carrots grated
  • ½ cup raisins
  • ½ cup currants
  • 1 cup flour
  • ¼ teaspoon cloves
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  • Grease a small bowl that has a bit of a lip. Cut a piece of parchment paper the size of the bottom of the bowl. Spray the bowl and then place the parchment paper in the bottom. Spray again. Set aside.

  • In a medium bowl, mix together butter and sugar.

  • In a small bowl, sprinkle grated potato with baking soda. Set aside.

  • Add carrots, potatoes, currants and raisins to the butter and sugar. Mix together.

  • Add the flour, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. Mix only till combined.

  • Turn into prepared bowl. Cover with parchment lined foil and secure with kitchen twine to seal.

  • Using a pot with a pasta insert, or a pot with a trivet at the bottom, pour in just enough to the bottom that it will not touch the pudding bowl.

  • Bring water to a boil, then place the pudding in carefully. Steam for 3 hours.

  • Note: You will need to add boiling water to the bottom of the pot during this time as the water evaporates, so watch closely.

Notes

  • If the pudding is hard to turn out of the bowl, place it in a pan of hot water for about 5-10 minutes to soften the edges enough for it to turn out easily when flipped upside down.
  • This pudding freezes very well, so make it ahead of time!
  • Thaw pudding completely in the refrigerator, and re-steam (if desired) before serving.
  • Serve with whipped cream, ice cream, bourbon sauce or caramel sauce if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 333mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 3034IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 2mg

REPIN this Christmas Carrot Pudding recipe!

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Christmas Carrot Pudding (Festive Steamed Recipe) - Around The Nook (2024)

FAQs

How long should I steam a Christmas pudding? ›

On Christmas Day: Fill a saucepan quite full with boiling water, put it on the heat and, when it comes back to the boil, place a steamer on top of the pan and turn it down to a gentle simmer. Put the Christmas Pudding in the steamer cover and leave to steam for 2hrs 15 mins.

Why do you steam Christmas pudding twice? ›

Ideally we would suggest that when the pudding is made it is steamed for 8 hours (the combined time of the first and second steamings) as the steaming is important for the flavour of the pudding. The pudding can then be microwaved to reheat it on Christmas Day.

How to cover a Christmas pudding for steaming? ›

Points to remember
  1. Lay a large sheet of baking parchment on top of a sheet of foil.
  2. Brush the parchment with melted butter to stop it sticking.
  3. Fold a pleat in the centre of the foil and parchment to give the pudding room to expand as it cooks.
  4. Tie the foil onto the basin with string; wrap it twice to keep it tight.

Can I use butter instead of suet in Christmas pudding? ›

It's best not to. Suet is a very hard fat, which melts slowly through a mixture during the cooking, whereas butter melts very easily and quickly through a mixture. They are different types of fats and shouldn't be substituted for each other.

How do you know when a steamed pudding is done? ›

Check the pudding is cooked by inserting a skewer through the foil and parchment lid into the centre of the pudding. If the skewer still has some wet mixture on it, return the pudding to the steamer for a further 15-20 mins, then check again.

Is it better to steam or microwave Christmas pudding? ›

Steaming is the best way to re-heat a homemade pudding and the only way we recommend re-heating Delia's Christmas pudding. Microwaved puddings are frequently ruined. They tend to overheat and get tough & sticky.

Why is my steamed pudding not cooked in the middle? ›

If the pudding has a very big dip in the centre then it could be that it was not cooked quite thoroughly enough and this could happen if the water was not kept at a brisk simmer or if the pan was allowed to boil dry at any point.

Why is my Christmas pudding soggy? ›

If water has entered the wrapped pudding basin then it is likely that the pan was boiling a little too hard, and may also have been too full of water, meaning the water came up and over the top of the pudding basin which makes it easier for water to enter.

Does the alcohol cook out of Christmas pudding? ›

Conclusion: Christmas puddings contain ethanol that does not all evaporate during the cooking process. However, the rise in BAC after ingestion of a typical slice of Christmas pudding was negligible and unlikely to affect work performance or safety or impair a health care worker's ability to make complex decisions.

Can you steam a pudding in a Pyrex bowl? ›

As for all puddings, it should be stored in a cool, dry place until Christmas Day. For the US our preference would be to use Pyrex mixing bowls for steaming Christmas puddings.

Why did my Christmas pudding go mouldy? ›

The pudding should be stored in a cool, dark and dry place. If the pudding is in a warm and humid environment (such as a steamy kitchen) then there is a risk that some mould will develop on the pudding. If you live in a warm or humid climate then it may be better to store the pudding in the fridge or to freeze it.

Can you steam a pudding without a lid? ›

Steamed puddings need to be properly sealed before cooking to prevent them from going soggy. This is possible even if you don't have a special pudding dish with a dedicated lid. -Lay a sheet of aluminium foil over a sheet of greaseproof paper (these need to be large enough to wrap generously around the pudding bowl).

What is a substitute for suet in carrot pudding? ›

If you can't find suet then we have found that grated vegetable shortening (such as Trex, Crisco or Copha) is a good substitute. To grate the shortening firstly freeze a stick or block of it until firm but not solid (this usually takes about 30 minutes).

Can you eat 2 year old Christmas pudding? ›

Some Christmas puddings, made with dried fruit in the traditional way, are fine to be eaten as much as two years after they were made. "Bear in mind if the pudding is alcohol-free, of course, it will last a good while with the sugar content, but it will not last as long without alcohol to preserve it," stresses Juliet.

What can I use if I don't have suet? ›

Still, there are some decent substitutes that will get you close. Some recipes recommend using frozen butter as a substitute for suet, but this is risky as the butter melts much faster than suet and your dish will become greasy and heavy. If you can't find suet or you just don't want to use it, try shortening instead.

Why do Christmas puddings take so long to steam? ›

A Christmas pudding is quite a dense mixture and needs long gentle cooking to prevent the outside burning before the inside is cooked. The same theory holds for reheating a pudding as it will take some time for the pudding to heat right through to the centre.

Should water be boiling when steaming a pudding? ›

Grab a large lidded saucepan and place an upturned saucer or plate in the bottom (if you have a suitable trivet then use that). Fill the saucepan with enough water to reach halfway up the pudding basin and heat to boiling.

How long to steam Delia Christmas pudding? ›

It's also a good idea to tie a piece of string across the top to make a handle. Place the pudding in a steamer set over a saucepan of simmering water and steam the pudding for 8 hours.

How long should you age a Christmas pudding? ›

Aging a Christmas pudding. A Christmas pudding needs time to age, like a good fruitcake. Some people make their Christmas pudding a year in advance, but generally they are made on the fifth Sunday before Christmas, giving them about five weeks to age. In fact, tradition starts with this timing.

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