Steamed sponge with chopped apple, currants and citrus. This receipt is now usually made with a baked Victoria Sponge type mixture, but all earlier versions, before the invention of baking powder, use other ingredients such as breadcrumbs and are boiled. (Rundell 1807, Eaton 1822, Walsh 1859, etc)


Original Receipt from 'Exeter and Plymouth Gazette' - Saturday 26 January 1833

EVE'S PUDDING
If you'll have good pudding, pray mind what you're taught,
Take two-penn'orth eggs, when there's twelve for a groat,
Take the same fruit, 'tis said Eve did once cozen,
When pared and well chopped, least halt dozen,
Six ounces bread (give a beggar the crust)
And grate in the crumb as small as the dust;
Six ounces of currants, well cleaned from the dirt,
Lest they break your teeth, and spoil all your sport,
The rind of a lemon grated quite thin,
Will it no harm if the whole you put in ;
Six ounces sugar will not make it too sweet,
Some nutmeg and salt will make it complete;
Now boil it three hours without hurry or flutter.
And then serve it up with some good melted butter.



Original Receipt in 'A New System Of Domestic Cookery' by 'A Lady' (Mrs. Maria Eliza Ketelby Rundell) (Rundell 1807);

EVE'S PUDDING.
Grate three-quarters of a pound of bread; mix it with the same quantity of shred suet, the same of apples and also of currants; mix with these the whole of four eggs, and the rind of half a lemon shred fine. Put it into a shape; boil three hours, and serve with pudding sauce, the juice of half a lemon, and a little nutmeg.