Hot Apple Sponge Pudding - the easiest and quickest pudding in the world!

 

This is a very simple yummy pudding to make. This is one of my favourite puddings to make last minute when invited to my friends for dinner. I love saying "I will bring the pudding". This can be made with different fruit, if you're not a fan of apples or to make your life easier.

 

Filling

x4 large Bramley Apples

1 lemon

sugar to taste

 

Alternative Fillings

Peaches - x2 tins of sliced peaches drained with a little juice

Pears - x3 tins of halved pears drained

 

 

Sponge
Ingredients:
113g self-raising flour
113g caster sugar
113g butter (or margarine for a lighter sponge)
4 eggs
couple of drops of vanilla essence

Equipment
Medium size baking dish
Peeler
Saucepan
Bowl or Food Mixer
Scales
Teaspoon, Tablespoon, Mixing Spoon
Spatula
Sharp knife
 

Method

Apple

1. Peel the apples, cut out the core and slice the apple (about 5mm thick) into a saucepan.
2. Add half the juice of a lemon
3. Put onto a low heat and let it cook. Only stir a few times, otherwise the apples will mush. Once they are soft, but over half of them have kept their form, take them off the heat. Add any caster sugar to taste, but a tart sauce is better as you are adding a sweet sponge and sweet custard.

Sponge

1. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 3, 325°F (170°C).
2. Mix together the sugar and butter until it's light and fluffy.
3. Add all the other ingredients at the same time and mix thoroughly.
4. If the mixture falls of the spoon when tapped on the side of the bowl, it's the right consistency. If not, add a tablespoon of milk and try again.

Assemble & Cook

1. Put the cooked apple into your medium sized cooking dish. Level off the mixture.
2. Then add the sponge mixture over the top of the cooked apple.
3. Place on the middle shelf of the oven
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes, but don't open the oven to check until it looks a golden colour. Otherwise the sponge will sink.
5. To check if the sponge is cooked, press lightly on the top of the sponge and then if it bounces back, it is ready.
6. Remove from oven onto a cooling wire rack.
7. To serve, remove the apple sponge from the dish. Turn the apple sponge upside down so the sponge is on the bottom and the apple is on the top.
8. Serve with hot custard.





Mini Victoria Sponges with strawberry jam and butter icing

These are so sweet and a very lovely afternoon tea addition. Using a very simple sponge recipe and a muffin tin, you can create these mini Victoria Sponges.

Sponge
Ingredients:
113g self-raising flour
113g caster sugar
113g butter (or margarine for a lighter sponge)
4 eggs
couple of drops of vanilla essence

Filling
3 tablespoons of strawberry/raspberry jam (to be honest you can use any type of jam)
1 x portion of butter icing
Butter icing
140g butter softened (at room temperature)
280g icing sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk

Equipment
12 case muffin tin

12 cupcake cases
Bowl or Food Mixer
Scales
Teaspoon, Tablespoon, Mixing Spoon
Spatula
Sharp knife
Electric or manual whisk
Pallet knife
 

Method:

Sponge

1. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 3, 325°F (170°C).
2. Mix together the sugar and butter until it's light and fluffy.
3. Add all the other ingredients at the same time and mix thoroughly.
4. If the mixture falls of the spoon when tapped on the side of the bowl, it's the right consistency. If not, add a tablespoon of milk and try again.
5. Place the 12 cupcake cases into the muffin tin.
6. Divide the mixture between the 12 cases and level off the top of the mixture.
7. Place on the middle shelf of the oven
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes, but don't open the oven to check until they look a golden colour. Otherwise the sponges will sink.
9. To check if they are cooked, press lightly on the top of the sponge and then if it bounces back, it is ready.
10. Remove from oven onto a cooling wire rack.
11. Use a knife to get the cupcakes out of the muffin tin, and then put them onto the wire cooling rack. Try to do this as quickly as possible, as if left in the tin they might start to sink.
12. Allow them to cool
13. While the cupcakes are cooling, begin to make the buttercream icing.

Butter Icing

1. First beat the butter in a large bowl until soft.
2. Add half of the icing sugar and beat until smooth.
3. Add the remaining icing sugar and one tablespoon of the milk and beat the mixture until creamy and smooth. Add more milk if the mixture looks dry.

Assemble

1. Once the cupcakes are cool, remove them from the cupcakes cases and then using a sharp knife cut them in half. Allow the bottom of the cake to be a little deeper than the top.
2. Spread a little jam on the bottom piece of the cupcake and then spread a 12th of the buttercream on the bottom of the lid and then put them together.
3. To finish, dust a little icing sugar onto the top.

Ultimate Victoria Sponge Cake with fresh strawberries - easy peasy!

This is such an easy cake to make and it looks so impressive! It's just a simple sponge cake, with fresh double cream and fresh strawberries. This recipe makes a large cake to serve 10-12.

Ingredients:

Sponge
225g self-raising flour
225g caster sugar
225g butter (or margarine for a lighter sponge)
8 eggs
1 teaspoons of vanilla essence
2 tablespoons of milk (if mixture is too thick)

Topping
Pack of Strawberries
1 tablespoon of strawberry jam
Double Cream

Equipment
You will also need two 8 inch (20 cm) wide tins, lightly greased and lined with silicone paper (baking parchment).
Bowl or Food Mixer
Scales
Teaspoon, Tablespoon, Mixing Spoon
Spatula
Sharp knife
Electric or manual whisk
Pallet knife
 

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 3, 325°F (170°C).
2. Mix together the sugar and butter until it's light and fluffy.
3. Add all the other ingredients at the same time and mix thoroughly.
4. If the mixture falls of the spoon when tapped on the side of the bowl, it's the right consistency. If not, add a tablespoon of milk and try again.
5. Half the mixture, put into the 20cm lined baking tins and level the mixture out.
6. Place on the middle shelf of the oven together (but not touching)
7. Bake for 35-45 minutes, but don't open the oven to check until after 35 minutes has passed or until they look a golden colour. Otherwise the sponges will sink.
8. To check if they are cooked, press lightly on the top of the sponge and then if it bounces back, it is ready.
9. Remove from oven onto a cooling wire rack.
10. Slide a knife round the side of the tin, and then turn them out onto the wire cooling rack.
11. Allow them to cool
12. While the sponges are cooling, put the double cream in a bowl and whip until it's light and fluffy. Don't over whip, once it gets close stop whipping and then slowly finish whipping.
13. Cut the strawberries into quarters.
14. Put one of the sponges on the serving plate, add the strawberry jam.
15. Then add half of the whipped cream and half of the cut strawberries. Add the other sponge cake on top.
16. Then add the other half of the whipped cream and fresh strawberries to finish.