This delicious self-saucing apple pudding cake is made with brown sugar, so it has all the flavours of caramel apples, in easy pudding cake form!
I imagine I’m not the only one who has nostalgic memories of pudding cakes past. Many of my memories involved a box mix and some boiling water. I can assure you though, this made-from-scratch apple pudding cake is only a bit more work and so much more delicious!
Self-Saucing pudding cakes are magical things. They start out with a quick cake batter on the bottom, then what seems like a too-watery liquid is poured over the top. As they bake, the cake cooks and rises to the top and the bottom becomes a thick, sweet sauce.
What you’ll need
A few notes on the key ingredients …
Apples – while technically any apple will work here, a nice, firm baking apple of some sort is the best choice, as the apple slices will retain their shape when baked. Good baking apples would be Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Cortland, Fuji, Braeburn, Golden Delicious or Gala.
Brown Sugar – while light brown sugar is specified, you can also use dark brown sugar here, as well.
Step-by-step photos
- Start by whisking together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
- Mix together the milk, melted butter and vanilla in a small bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients.
- Stir the batter well until smooth.
- Spoon the batter into the bottom of a baking dish, then lay the apples over-top.
- Make the topping liquid by mixing together the brown sugar and flour. Add the boiling water, butter and vanilla and stir until the butter melts.
- Lay a spoon on the apples, then gently pour the topping liquid over the back of the spoon until it has all been added.
- The apple pudding cake is ready for the oven (trust me, it will sort itself all out as it bakes :)
Recipe tips
- No need to get artistic when placing the apple slices on top of the batter. When you pour the hot liquid over-top, they will float and settle all willy-nilly anyway :)
- Speaking of pouring the liquid over the batter, be sure to pour over the back of a spoon, as noted in the instructions. This prevents a the pouring from creating a hole in the batter.
Recipe video
How to serve apple pudding cake
Ideally, serve the apple pudding cake warm (but it is still nice at room temperature, as well). I enjoy it as is, but it is also lovely with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Making Ahead, Storing and Freezing
While best enjoyed freshly baked, you could make this pudding cake ahead, refrigerate and re-warm. Re-warm in the microwave or place onto a baking sheet, loosely cover with aluminum foil and pop into a 350F oven until warmed through.
Store baked pudding covered in the refrigerator for about 2 days.
You could freeze this pudding cake up to 2 months.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- 1/3 cup (60 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) milk, 2% or 3% recommended
- 2 Tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 large apple, thinly sliced *see Note 1 below
Sauce:
- 1 cup (180 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) boiling water
- 1 Tablespoon butter, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Generous pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F / 180C (regular bake setting/not fan assisted)
- Make the pudding batter: In a medium bowl, mix together the the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a small bowl, mix together the milk, melted butter and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth. Spread the batter in to the bottom of an 8-cup baking dish. Arrange the apple slices in a single layer of over-lapping apples on top of batter.
- Prepare the sauce: In a medium bowl or a 4 cup measuring cup, mix together the brown sugar and flour. Add the boiling water, the butter, vanilla and salt. Stir to combine until butter melts. Lay a regular tablespoon curved side up on top of the apples, near the centre. Slowly pour the sauce over the back of the spoon, letting it run on top of the cake (refer to the step-by-step photos or recipe video above this Recipe Card if this isn't clear). Be sure to leave 3/4-1 inch of room at the top of the baking dish.
- Bake in pre-heated 350°F oven for 35-40 minutes or until the cake part looks dry and a toothpick in centre comes out clean when inserted in the top cake part. Pudding will have formed a cake-like top with lots of sauce underneath. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes, then enjoy warm. Lovely as is, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Web Story for Apple Pudding Cake
More Apple Recipes to Love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
I cut the recipe in half to try it out and baked it in two individual portions. I also used less sugar than called for…and it was still delicious. This is definitely a keeper.
So glad to hear :) Thanks so much!
This looks great! Can I make it ahead for a dinner party and reheat just before?
Hi Sam, I think you could. I suspect the cake part might soak up some of the pudding part, but that said, it will still be delicious :)
Reminds me of the apple pudding my Mom used to make. Total comfort food. Thanks for such a quick, flavourful recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it, Elizabeth :) Thanks so much!
Very soft, gooey and delicious. I added ¾ cup applesauce rather than sliced apples to cater to a no-chew diet. Worked well!
So glad you enjoyed it, Alisha! Thanks :)
I LOVED this! I had a major craving for a pudding cake, I couldn’t find my regular recipe so I had to google one. I could care less about my old one, it did not taste the same. The only thing I will do differently next time though is chop up little pieces of apple and mix it with the batter, and will probably try this with other types of fruit.
So glad to hear, Katherine! Thanks :)
I’m making this in the slow cooker for tonight! I’ve just popped it in, serving with custard ice cream ?
Let me know how it turns out in the slow cooker!
I made these last night and they were amazing! I wanted a recipe that mimicked the Sheriff caramel sauce n’ cake and this was it I just left the apples off I kept the cinnamon I they were a hit! I will definitely make these again they were quick and easy and uses ingredients that are always on hand !
Yes! These are very much like the Sheriff pudding cakes :) So glad you enjoyed them!
Do you have a suggestion for a microwave option? It’s too hot to use the oven right now. I have lots off self saucing pudding recipes (yumm) but all use the oven.
Do you have a suggestion for a microwave option? It’s too hot to use the oven right now.
Hi Meredith, I don’t really. I have used the microwave for a sticky toffee pudding recipe here on my site. You might want to check it out. Was really good. I used the basic trial and error method to get it right :)
Thanks; I will try the sticky toffee pudding. Meredith
Thanks for the recipe! I’m going to make this today? Does the baking dish need to be greased?
Hi Valeria, No, no need to grease. Enjoy :)
So glad I found this recipe. I have such happy childhood memories of my mom making this for us especially during Fall and Winter.
Works like a charm.
Thank you!
I’m glad, too! Enjoy :)
I would love to see a photo of the inside, being a first time I’d like to see what I’m shooting for.
Hi Mary, Two of the photos is the post show the inside. The photo shows the texture of the cake topping, as well as the caramel pudding.
The recipe is fantastic! I added 1 egg to the batter the ‘wet’ part.
So glad you enjoyed it, Ann :)
How would you recommend reheating it? I’d be making it for 2, so having a reheat option is a must. Thanks for such a lovely dessert!
Hi Naiomi, I just microwaved them. Just long enough to warm. You could also cover with foil and place in a 350 oven for 5 minutes or so.
Wow! These looks so delicious and crazy creative!!
Thanks so much, Rebecca!