In my “5 Holiday Desserts from Around the World” series, I had the pleasure of experiencing a Canadian treat called le pouding chômeur for the first time. Encompassed in decadence and sweetness, this white cake is bathed generously in a maple caramel sauce before served to large groups of fellow sweet-lovers. There are no rules with this cake, which I loved!

This le pouding chômeur recipe comes from Emily, who hails from Montreal, Canada. The dish blends French and indigenous culinary techniques, which produces the ultimate dessert in my opinion. It first appeared during the Great Depression, with stale bread often standing in for cake. Many working class women of Quebec had to find ways to remain resilient and create happy, comforting desserts for their families and neighborhoods during this time. As a result its reputation as a “poor man’s pudding,” le pouding chômeur is easy to make with what you have on hand. Emily often enjoyed a heaping plate of le pouding chômeur and vanilla ice cream at friends’ houses, as her family wasn’t big on sweets.

If you have a sweet tooth or need a comfort food, this sweet, warm, soft cake will easily satisfy your cravings. The generous amount of maple syrup in this dish is simply glorious, and it will  have you going back for seconds! 

I want to note that you should leave the extra cream and maple syrup liquids in your batter; I emptied some of it before baking the cake, and I think I was being overly cautious, as this liquid could help infuse the cake with even more sweetness! I also want to emphasize that you should leave the cake in the oven until a slightly browned crisp forms on its surface. This will give it the excellent texture of bread pudding mixed with the sweetness of cake.

Le pouding chômeur is a very Canadian, very sweet and syrupy dish. The moist cake and maple syrup combine to form an utter delight, so I hope you will indulge in it with me!