Virginia Apple Pudding

It's been quite a while since I posted a recipe, so since I needed to make a dessert for a dinner tonight, I thought I would share the recipe. For the last few weeks, whenever I have needed a dessert I have turned to this cake as I still have a few golden delicious apples to use up. My in-laws graciously shared from the bounty of their tree last autumn, and they work so well in this cake. The recipe is called 'Virginia Apple Pudding', but it's really an old fashioned fruit type cake. Did I mention how EASY it is to prepare? Here it is all ready to pop in the oven... and here it is as it came out of the oven, smelling like baked apples and all brown and crusty around the edges.

Now that I've made your mouth water, here then is the recipe:

VIRGINIA APPLE PUDDING

1 Cube Butter

1 C. Flour

1 C. Sugar

1 C. Milk

2 t. Baking Powder

1/4 t. Salt

2+ C. of Fruit

1/2 t. Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. This recipe adapts to either a 9x13 pan, or an 8x8 or 9x9 pan, whichever you prefer. Place the cube of butter in your pan of choice and place in the preheated oven to melt, while you prepare the batter and fruit. When melted, remove from the oven and set aside.

For the batter: mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the milk and stir to form the batter. Pour the batter on top of the butter, and swirl with your spoon to mix a little. If using a square pan, the batter will raise higher and your cake will be thicker. If using a 9x12 pan, just add a little more fruit and the cake will be as shown above.

For the fruit: I took fresh sliced apples, and cooked them a bit in water, brown sugar and cinnamon, until fairly soft and the water was reduced to a syrup. How long you cook them will depend on the type and freshness of your apples. My golden Delicious apples are soft, so just a few minutes worked. You can use fresh fruit (apples, peaches, berries or pears), or use canned. IF you use canned fruit that is sweetened, use less sugar in the batter.

Put the fruit on top of the batter and place in the pre-heated oven. The fruit will sink down into the batter as it bakes. Bake for 35-40 minutes. At the end of the baking time, check the batter for doneness with the toothpick test. Cool on rack, but best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (big smile here!)

Serves 6 with a square pan, and 8-10 with the 9x12 pan.