Recipe Manuscript

Puding De Bizcocho

Name: Puding De Bizcocho
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 liter whole milk; 58 grams rice flour; 230 grams sponge cake, finely crumbled (substitute with plain store-bought sponge cake if needed); 90 grams dried currants (or substitute with raisins if currants are unavailable); 6–9 large eggs, as needed; 80–120 grams sugar, to taste; Butter, for greasing the mold

"Sponge Cake Pudding"

1910

From the treasured pages of Mexican Cooking Manuscript de Diario del Hogar

Unknown Author

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American Intermediate Dessert

Original Recipe • 1910

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Puding De Bizcocho

"En un litro de leche hervida y fría se mezclan 58 gramos de harina de arroz, 230 de bizcocho frio de huevo, perfectamente molido; 90 gramos de pasas de Corinto, seis huevos y azúcar al gusto; se bate la pasta con cuchara de madera hasta que los ingredientes queden bien incorporados y si está muy compacta, se le añaden dos ó tres huevos más para que quede una pasta ligera; se vierte luego en el molde engrasado con bastante mantequilla y se hace cocer en el horno ó en baño de María, cubierto con un comal con lumbre para que se dore la superficie."

English Translation

"In one liter of boiled and cooled milk, mix 58 grams of rice flour, 230 grams of cold sponge cake, finely crumbled; 90 grams of currants, six eggs, and sugar to taste. Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are well incorporated; if it is too thick, add two or three more eggs to make a lighter batter. Pour the mixture into a mold well-greased with butter and bake it in the oven or in a bain-marie, covered with a griddle with coals on top so the surface browns."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe is written in an instructive, almost conversational tone common in newspaper columns and handwritten domestic cookbooks of the period. Quantities are given in grams, reflecting Mexico's early adoption of the metric system in culinary writing. The term 'pasta' here simply means the batter or mixture, and 'bizcocho de huevo' refers to a light, egg-based sponge cake typical of the era. There is some elasticity in egg quantity, a hallmark of recipes intended for adaptable home use. Spelling and terms are traditional: 'Cocer en baño de María' means to bake in a water bath, while 'comal' refers to a flat metal griddle used to help brown the top.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Mexican Cooking Manuscript de Diario del Hogar - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Mexican Cooking Manuscript de Diario del Hogar (1910)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1910

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful scrapbook of Mexican home cooking, this charming manuscript transforms an English grammar school notebook into a culinary time capsule. Handwritten lessons cozy up to clipped recipes from early 20th-century newspapers, serving up a flavorful blend of educational notes and savory secrets. A true window into the kitchens and tastes of historical Mexico.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This Puding de Bizcocho recipe hails from a handwritten Mexican cooking notebook dated around 1910. The notebook itself was once a school exercise book, later transformed into a personal collection of recipes by pasting in newspaper clippings—many from 'Diario del Hogar,' a prominent domestic newspaper from 1881 to 1912. This pudding reflects the fusion of European pastry traditions (like the classic bread puddings of Spain and France) with Mexican home cooking. It features international ingredients such as sponge cake, currants, and rice flour, illustrating how cosmopolitan influences found their way into Mexican kitchens at the turn of the twentieth century.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Historically, this pudding would be mixed in a large ceramic or metal bowl, using a sturdy wooden spoon for blending. The baking was done in a heavy pudding mold or an earthenware dish, well-buttered, and the cooking method relied on the use of a wood-fired or coal oven. A 'baño María' (water bath) was employed to ensure gentle cooking, with the surface of the pudding covered—often by a metal comal or baking sheet with live coals placed on top—to promote even browning. Measuring was generally done with simple scales for dry goods and hand estimation for eggs, with adjustments made by feel and experience.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

4 1/4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup rice flour
8 ounces sponge cake, finely crumbled (substitute with plain store-bought sponge cake if needed)
1/2 cup dried currants (or substitute with raisins if currants are unavailable)
6–9 large eggs, as needed
1/3–1/2 cup sugar, to taste
Butter, for greasing the mold

Instructions

To prepare this historical Puding de Bizcocho, begin by boiling 4 1/4 cups of whole milk and allowing it to cool.
In a large bowl, mix 1/2 cup of rice flour with the cooled milk.
Crumble or finely grate 8 ounces of sponge cake (bizcocho de huevo) and add it to the bowl.
Stir in 1/2 cup of currants (pasas de Corinto).
Beat 6 large eggs and add them to the mixture along with sugar to taste (about 1/3–1/2 cup is typical, but adjust to your preference).
Mix everything with a wooden spoon until fully blended.
If the mixture feels too thick, beat in 2–3 more eggs until you reach a light, pourable batter.
Grease a pudding mold or oven-safe dish generously with butter.
Pour in the batter, smooth the top, and bake in a moderate oven (about 325°F) in a bain-marie (place your mold in a larger pan with hot water).
Cover with foil or a metal lid, and if possible, add gentle heat from above to brown the surface nicely.
Bake for 45–60 minutes, or until just set and golden on top.
Let cool before unmolding and serving.

Estimated Calories

330 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 20 minutes to prepare the ingredients and mix everything together. Baking the pudding usually takes around 1 hour. Each serving contains about 330 calories, and the recipe makes 8 servings.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.