Clara Bennett This creamy Nigella Rice Pudding Cake is made with arborio rice, full-fat milk, fresh lemon zest, soft butter, and caster sugar. This recipe creates a unique dessert that is incredibly soft, rich, and comforting. It’s the perfect cozy dessert for a chilly evening and serves 8-12 slices, especially when topped with the warm raspberry sauce.
Nigella Rice Pudding Cake Ingredients
- 150 grams arborio rice
- 700 millilitres full-fat milk
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 unwaxed lemon
- 75 grams soft unsalted butter (plus more for greasing tin)
- 3 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 75 grams caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Nutmeg (for grating)
For the sauce:
- 200 grams seedless raspberry jam
- 2 x 15ml tablespoons fresh lemon juice
How To Make Nigella Rice Pudding Cake
- Cook the rice pudding: Put the rice, milk, and salt into a heavy-based saucepan. Finely grate the zest of the lemon into the pan. Bring the mixture to the point just before it boils over high heat, stirring regularly. Do not let it actually boil.
- Simmer the rice: Turn the heat down to low and continue to cook for about 30 minutes. Stir it every now and then until the rice is cooked and the milk is absorbed. Keep a close eye on it so the milk doesn’t boil and the rice doesn’t stick.
- Melt the butter and cool: Take the pan off the heat and stir in the 75g of butter until it is completely melted. Scrape the rice mixture into a large bowl (big enough to hold all ingredients) and leave it to cool for about 1 hour, until it reaches room temperature.
- Prepare the oven and tin: Once the rice is cool, preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C Fan/325°F. Generously butter a 20cm / 8-inch springform cake tin.
- Separate and whisk the eggs: Separate the eggs. Let the whites fall into a large, completely grease-free bowl (like a stand mixer bowl). Drop the yolks into a separate jug or bowl.
- Whisk the whites: Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Set them aside for a moment.
- Whisk the yolks: Add the caster sugar to the egg yolks. Whisk vigorously (with a hand whisk or an electric one) until the mixture is pale, thick, and moussy.
- Flavor the yolks: Add the vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons of juice from your zested lemon to the yolk and sugar mixture.
- Combine yolks and rice: Gradually pour the yolk mixture into the cooled rice, folding it in well as you go.
- Fold in the egg whites: Add a large spoonful of the stiff egg whites to the rice bowl and stir it in briskly. This helps to lighten the mixture.
- Finish folding: Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites in three parts. Be thorough but gentle, trying to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.
- Bake the cake: Pour and scrape the batter gently into your prepared springform tin. Generously grate fresh nutmeg all over the top. Bake for 45 minutes. The top should be set with no wobble underneath.
- Cool and unmold: Let the cake sit on a wire rack for about 1 hour until it’s just slightly warm. To unmold, run a small spatula around the edges of the tin, then unclip the side. You can transfer the cake to a flat plate, but it’s safest to leave it on the tin’s base.
- Make the raspberry sauce: Just before serving, gently heat the raspberry jam and lemon juice in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally, until hot and glossy.
Recipe Tips
- Use Room Temperature Eggs: This is very important. Room temperature eggs, especially the whites, will whisk up to a much greater volume. This volume is what gives the cake its light, airy texture, as there are no other leavening agents.
- Don’t Boil the Milk: When cooking the rice, bring the milk only to the edge of a boil. If it boils, it can scorch on the bottom of the pan and cause the rice to stick and burn, ruining the flavor.
- Cool the Rice Completely: Do not try to rush this step. If the rice is even warm when you add the egg yolks, it will curdle and scramble them. The mixture must be at room temperature.
- Fold Gently: The air you whisked into the egg whites is the “lift” for this cake. When you fold them in, use a large spatula to cut down the middle and sweep up from the bottom. This gently incorporates the whites without knocking all the air out.
- Use a Grease-Free Bowl: When whisking egg whites, any trace of fat or grease (from your fingers, a speck of yolk, or a dirty bowl) will stop them from whisking into stiff peaks.
What To Serve Rice Pudding Cake
This rice pudding cake is designed to be served slightly warm with the hot raspberry sauce poured over the top or alongside in a jug. The bright, sharp sauce cuts through the creamy richness of the cake perfectly. For extra decadence, you can also add a dollop of fresh whipped cream, clotted cream, or a scoop of simple vanilla bean ice cream.
How To Store Rice Pudding Cake Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Because this cake is made with milk and eggs, it must be stored in the fridge. Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. It is delicious eaten cold, straight from the fridge, or you can gently warm a slice in the microwave.
- Freeze: Freezing is not recommended. The texture of the rice can become watery and grainy once it is thawed, which is not pleasant.
Nigella Rice Pudding Cake Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 270 kcal
- Total Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Sugars: 15g
- Protein: 6g
- Sodium: 120mg
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use a different type of rice? Arborio rice is best because it’s starchy and creates a creamy texture while still holding its shape. You could use “pudding rice,” but the final cake might be slightly softer. Do not use regular long-grain or basmati rice.
- Why did my cake collapse after baking? This cake gets all its lift from the air in the egg whites. If it collapsed, it’s likely that the egg whites were not beaten stiffly enough, or the air was knocked out during the folding process. Be very gentle when folding.
- Can I make this cake gluten-free? Yes! This recipe is naturally gluten-free as it contains no flour.
- Can I skip the lemon zest? You can, but the lemon adds a lovely, subtle brightness that cuts through the richness of the milk and eggs. You could replace it with orange zest or a teaspoon of almond extract for a different flavor.
Nigella Rice Pudding Cake
Description
A creamy, comforting Nigella Rice Pudding Cake that blends the best of British rice pudding with an Italian torta di riso. This naturally gluten-free cake is made from arborio rice, full-fat milk, and lemon zest, lightened with fluffy egg whites. It’s baked until set, dusted with nutmeg, and served warm with a bright raspberry sauce
Ingredients
For the sauce:
Instructions
- Cook the rice: In a saucepan, combine rice, milk, salt, and lemon zest. Stirring, bring just to the point of boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is cooked and milk is absorbed.
- Cool the rice: Remove from heat, stir in the butter until melted. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool completely (about 1 hour).
- Prep: Preheat oven to 160°C/140°C Fan/325°F. Butter a 20cm / 8-inch springform tin.
- Whisk eggs: Separate the eggs. Whisk the whites in a large, grease-free bowl until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar until pale and moussy.
- Combine: Stir the vanilla and 2 tsp lemon juice into the yolk mixture. Fold this yolk mixture into the cooled rice.
- Fold whites: Lighten the rice by stirring in one large spoonful of egg whites. Gently fold in the remaining whites in two or three additions, being careful not to deflate the mixture.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Grate nutmeg generously over the top. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is set.
- Cool and serve: Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Run a spatula around the edge before unmolding.
- Make sauce: To serve, gently heat the raspberry jam and lemon juice in a small pan until hot. Serve with the warm cake