Norfolk Bread Pudding Recipe

Published date: August 2020

Norfolk Bread Pudding, sometimes known as Nelson Slices or Nelson Cake was named after Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson, a Norfolk man, born in Burnham Thorpe in 1758.

Once gracing the shelves of many Norfolk bakeries, its popularity in recent years seems to have taken a tumble, and it has become much harder to find. Not to be confused with bread and butter pudding, a much lighter and custardy dessert made with milk and eggs, Norfolk Bread Pudding is more like a cake, dense in texture and very filling.

A great way to use up leftover bread, here is a delicious recipe for Norfolk Bread Pudding, Nelson Slices, or Nelson Cake, whatever you wish to call it!

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients
450g stale bread
100g raisins
100g sultanas
115g brown sugar
½ tsp grated nutmeg
grated rind of half a lemon
2 tbsp orange marmalade
1 free range egg, beaten
100g unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp dark rum
Water, to soak the bread
1 tbsp granulated sugar for the top

Method

Soak the bread in water for around an hour. Squeeze out the water from the bread and with a fork, break it up and keep working it until creamy. Stir in all the other ingredients and mix well until thoroughly combined.

Place into a buttered dish, level with the back of a spoon and bake in the oven, 200°C, 400F, gas mark 6 for 30 - 40 minutes. Serve hot with the granulated sugar dredged over the top, with custard, cream or ice cream. Alternatively allow to cool and serve cold as a cake.