Favourite Things Friday: Pudding Cake

Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside. –Mark Twain

{LadyBug mixing up the cake batter}

Pudding cakes came into vogue in the 1930's and I love them {who knew I was a collector of vintage ?}. Whoever invented pudding cakes was a genius. You make a little batter, pour some boiling hot sugar water over the top, bake it for a bit and end up with a cake that has a delicious pudding sauce on the bottom. They are super easy to make and allow for endless variations. I've made five pudding cakes in the last 10 days. I gave two away, but the others went straight to my hips. Here are my three favorite recipes to get you started.

Brownie Pudding Cake
Cake
1¼ cups flour
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Pudding
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
1¾ cups boiling water
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered Sugar

• Heat oven to 350˚. Lightly grease the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish.
• Combine sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add milk, melted butter and vanilla; stir until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread batter evenly in baking dish.
• In a small mixing bowl, mix together sugar and cocoa; gradually whisk in boiling water and vanilla. Carefully pour the mixture evenly over the batter in the baking dish.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool slightly; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Serves 8

Notes:

{LadyBug licking the spoon}

• If you have vanilla ice cream with it, it is like a hot fudge brownie sundae. Yum.
• For a Chocolate Volcano cake, spread 1 can cherry pie filling in the bottom of the baking dish and then put the cake batter on top.
• For a Chocolate Raspberrry cake, spread 1 can raspberry pie filling in the bottom of the baking dish and then put the cake batter on top.

Peach Pudding Cake
Cake
2 cups fresh peaches or nectarines, peeled and sliced
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup {4 tablespoons} butter, softened
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup milk
Pudding
¾ cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup boiling water

• Heat oven to 350˚. Lightly grease the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish. Mix nutmeg and cinnamon with the peaches and spread in the bottom of the baking dish.
• In a medium mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix well. Add milk and combine to make a batter. Spread the batter over the peaches in the baking dish.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk in boiling water and carefully pour over the cake.
• Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour. Serve warm, topped with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Serves 6

Notes:
• I usually use nectarines instead of peaches. They are just a little sweeter. And my neighbor has a nectarine tree.
• There are endless variations to this cake. Substitute 2 cups peeled and sliced apples, 2 cups peeled and sliced apples and pears, 2 cups fresh cherries, 2 cups fresh raspberries or 2 cups of mixed berries, or 2 cup of your favorite fresh fruit for the peaches {or nectarines}. Yum!

Lemon Pudding Cake

Cake
3 lemons
1 package {18¼ oz.} lemon cake mix
1 cup milk
Pudding
⅔ cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1½ cups warm {120˚ - 130˚} water
Powdered sugar

• Zest lemons to yield 2 tablespoons lemon zest. Juice lemons to yield ⅓ cup juice.
• Heat oven to 375˚. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
• Combine cake mix, lemon zest and milk in a medium mixing bowl. Mix until well combined and spread in prepared baking dish.
• Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small mixing bowl. Add lemon juice and warm water and whisk until well combined. Carefully pour lemon mixture over cake batter.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm, topped with fresh berries if desired.

Serves 12

Notes:
• This cake is SO sour it makes you pucker. I love it. For less pucker and a slightly sweeter taste, use a yellow cake mix.

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