Steamed Banana And Syrup Sponge Pudding, With Vanilla Sauce

If you've been following this channel recently, you may have seen some collaborative videos with Babatunde in Nigeria where I have been following his directions to try to make (and eat) some Nigerian style foods here in the UK. Now the turn tables! This is my version of a classic British steamed sponge pudding, flavoured with banana and golden syrup, and served with a vanilla sauce - so hopefully, part 2 of this set will be a video showing Babatunde and his wife cooking and tasting this.

Here are the ingredients and recipe guidelines (NB: a 'cup' here is any cup that holds about 225ml):
Ingredients for the sponge pudding:
1 heaped cup self-raising wheat flour (or plain flour with a half teaspoon of baking powder)
3/4 of a cup of white caster sugar (other sugars will work if that's what you have)
1 cup of softened butter, vegetable margarine/spread or vegetable oil
1 egg plus the white of another egg
1 ripe banana
1/4 teaspoon each of ground star anise, cinnamon and nutmeg
(You can use more spice than this if you want, but this blend, in this specific amount, just enhances and intensifies the banana flavour)
Golden syrup or other thick sugar syrup, or honey

Method:
Select a heatproof bowl or pudding basin that will contain at least 3 cup measures (test this with water, then tip it out and dry the bowl). You will also need a saucepan or cooking pot into which this bowl will stand - ideally big enough that a lid can also be added to the pan.
In a large mixing bowl, blend the sugar and butter with a wooden spoon until they form a smooth paste.
Separate the yolk from one of the eggs and set it aside. Add the other egg, plus the separated egg white, into the sugar/butter mix, and beat the mixture until evenly mixed.
Peel and mash the banana - add this, plus the spices, to the mixture and beat until combined
Add the flour a little at a time, mixing and beating until it is all combined together
Smear a little butter around the inside of the pudding bowl, then add about two or three tablespoons of syrup into the bottom of this bowl.
Add in the cake batter on top - try to add it fairly quickly so it doesn't just displace the syrup up the sides of the pudding bowl.
Put a layer of greaseproof paper or baking parchment over the bowl, then a layer of foil; press these down around the rim and secure tightly in place with string. Trim any large excess pieces of paper or foil.
In the large saucepan, add enough water so that when the pudding bowl is added in, the water level will rise to about 2/3 of the way up the bowl. Place this pan on a hob or cooker top and bring the water to a rolling boil.
Carefully place the pudding bowl into the pan and adjust the heat so that the water is just boiling gently.
Cook for 90 minutes, but check the water level every 15 to 20 minutes - do not allow it to boil dry - top up with additional hot water when required.
Test by carefully lifting the bowl out of the water, uncovering and probing with a metal or wooden skewer or stick - the cake is fully cooked when the stick comes out clean.
Run a knife around the inside of the bowl to ensure the cake is not stuck to the sides.
Place a plate over the bowl and carefully (it is hot!) invert plate and bowl together to turn out the pudding.
Add a little more syrup to the top of the pudding if desired.

Ingredients for the vanilla sauce:
1.5 cups milk
1.5 tablespoons sugar
2 heaped teaspoons cornstarch (cornflour)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, or vanilla flavouring
1 egg yolk

Method:
Put the sugar and cornstarch in a cup and add a small amount of the milk - mix with a spoon to make a paste, add this and the egg yolk, and vanilla to the rest of the milk and whisk it all together.
Transfer to a small pan and heat gently over a medium heat, whisking all the time to prevent the mix from burning on the bottom of the pan.
As it approaches boiling hot, it will abruptly begin to thicken. Turn down the heat at this point and continue whisking. If it doesn't thicken, you can add a little more cornstarch blended with milk or water and whisk this in quickly as you add it. If it thickens too much, you can just add a little more milk and whisk that in to thin down the sauce.

Serve the pudding steaming hot, with the warm vanilla sauce poured over it.