Spotted dick

A British steamed pudding made from a suet dough studded with currants or raisins.

Spotted dick: A sliced log of steamed spotted dick, pale and soft with dark currants throughout, with warm yellow custard poured over one slice.
  • Traditional and regional desserts
  • United Kingdom

Spotted dick is a classic British pudding. Flour, suet, sugar and milk are mixed into a soft dough with currants and sometimes lemon zest, then shaped into a log or packed into a basin and steamed for an hour or more. The dried fruit forms the dark spots that give it its name.

Steaming keeps it moist and gives it a soft, slightly springy crumb rather than a browned crust. It is served hot in thick slices, almost always with plenty of warm custard. Butter or vegetable suet can stand in for beef suet.

Bake it at VanillaGoods

Related entries

Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

  1. Victorian holiday recipes, Parks Canada (Halifax Citadel National Historic Site)