Apple Cranberry Pudding Cake

By Alqualonde

Autumn fruit is the buried treasure at the bottom of this moist, golden pudding cake.

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 1 cup (250 mL) packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) butter, melted
• 8 cups (2 L) peeled, cored and sliced apples, (about 6)
• 1 cup (250 mL) fresh cranberries or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup (250 mL) butter, softened
• 1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) vanilla
• 2 tsp (10 mL) grated orange rind
• 2-1/2 cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) ground almonds
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
• 1-1/4 cups (300 mL) milk
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) sliced almonds, toasted
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) icing sugar

Preparation

Step 1

In bowl, whisk brown sugar with butter until blended. Scrape into 12-cup (3 L) oval glass baking dish, spreading evenly. Layer apples and cranberries over top.
Cake:

In large bowl, beat butter with granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and orange rind. In separate bowl, whisk flour, ground almonds, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add to butter mixture alternately with milk, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of milk. Spoon over fruit, smoothing top. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven until golden and cake tester inserted in centre of cake comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Dust with icing sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Make-ahead: Set aside for up to 4 hours.)