This old-fashioned dessert recipe is an ultra-moist, flavorful pudding cake made with fresh apples, golden raisins, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It’s a favorite of ours in the fall when apples are in season because it is so quick to prepare, doesn’t need frosting, and can be served plain (our preference), or topped with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Tips for Making This Recipe
- Plump the raisins: When baking with raisins, it’s always best to soak them in liquid to plump them up before adding to your batter or dough. For this recipe, we like to use dark rum for that purpose, but if you’re baking for kids, switch to apple cider or apple juice.
- Toss the apples in lemon juice: Just minutes after you cut an apple the pieces will begin to turn brown. Tossing them with a little bit of lemon juice slows down this process and acts as a bit of flavor enhancer as well.
Spiced Apple Pudding Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup golden (or regular) raisins
- 1/4 cup apple cider, or dark rum (see notes)
- 5 to 6 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped (about 4 cups)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon rum extract, optional (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Place the raisins in a microwave-safe bowl and add the rum. Heat for 30 seconds on high and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously grease a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.
- Place the apples in bowl and drizzle with the lemon juice. Toss, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the eggs, rum extract, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the mixture until the batter is light and fluffy.
- Add the baking soda and flour and beat until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Drain any excess liquid from the raisins and add them to the batter. Add the apples and combine thoroughly.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the brown sugar over the top.
- Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and return the cake to the oven for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Notes
Using Dark Rum for Flavor
The flavor of rum pairs beautifully with apples and cinnamon, so if you’re preparing this cake for adults, we recommend plumping the raisins in dark rum and adding a teaspoon of rum extract for some added flavor.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This cake was so easy to make. We really enjoyed it.
Glad to hear you liked it Gladys. Thanks for commenting.