This self-saucing sponge pudding is made with canned apple slices topped with a simple batter made from pantry staples, followed by a caramel sauce.
There is nothing more comforting than self-saucing pudding. This recipe for Caramel Apple Sponge Pudding is so moreish. I use tinned apples in this recipe for ease, and they're insanely delicious paired with the rich caramelly flavours. For another caramel and apple recipe, be sure to also check out the Caramel Apple Tart.
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Ingredient notes:
- Golden syrup: A key component of this recipe, the golden syrup adds moisture to the sponge, increases the depth of flavour and colour.
- Apples: This recipe calls for tinned apples as they are so convenient and affordable. If you want to use your own stewed apples go right ahead though!
- Butter: I always use salted butter for my baking. I've added an extra pinch of salt to the caramel sauce to balance out the sweetness, but you can skip this if you prefer. If you're using unsalted butter to make this dessert, be sure to add a generous pinch of salt to both the batter and the topping.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.
Step by step instructions:
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake. To make the batter: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and brown sugar. In a small jug, melt the butter. Add the golden syrup and vanilla and mix until thick and glossy.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, then pour in the butter mixture. Add the eggs and milk, then whisk until smooth and free of any lumps.
Drain the apples, then scatter then into the base of a greased baking dish. Pour the batter over the top and use a spoon or spatula to spread evenly over the apples. Set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the remaining brown sugar and butter with 375ml of water and a generous pinch of salt. Cook over a medium heat until the sugar and butter has melted.
Carefully pour the butter and sugar mixture over the top of the batter, running it over the back of a large spoon so that the sauce sits on top and doesn't mix into the batter.
Place into the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the pudding is golden and comes out clean when the cake layer is tested with a skewer. Leave to sit for 10 minutes to allow the caramel to cool slightly, then serve with cream or scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Recipe FAQs:
Yes! You can use 2-3 medium peeled and sliced apples. To ensure they soften properly, lightly sauté them in a pan with a little butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar for 5-10 minutes before adding to the dish.
It's best served fresh from the oven when the sauce is hot and gooey. However, you can make the batter and sauce a few hours ahead, keep them separate, and assemble just before baking.
This can happen if the oven is too hot or if the sauce was poured directly into the batter. Make sure to pour the sauce gently over the back of a spoon so it stays on top while baking, allowing the self-saucing magic to happen underneath.
Storage:
If you have any leftover pudding, it can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days and warmed in the microwave or oven - but it is best served fresh!
Top tips:
- I used a 26cm diameter shallow casserole dish to bake this pudding, and the handles make it so easy to transfer in and out of the oven.
- Tinned pears would be a delicious substitute to apples in this recipe! Make sure to pick fruit in juice, rather than syrup, so the sweetness of the pudding isn't too overwhelming.
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Caramel Apple Sponge Pudding
This self-saucing pudding is made with canned apple slices topped with a simple batter made from pantry staples, then a caramel sauce.
Ingredients
Batter
- 1½ cups plain flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 80g butter
- ¼ cup golden syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 2 eggs
- 125ml milk
- 385g can sliced apples, drained
Sauce
- 1½ cups soft brown sugar
- 50g butter
- 375m water
To serve
- Cream or vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake.
- To make the batter: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and brown sugar.
- In a small jug, melt the butter. Add the golden syrup and vanilla and mix until thick and glossy.
- Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, then pour in the butter mixture. Add the eggs and milk, then whisk until smooth and free of any lumps.
- Drain the apples then scatter them into the base of a greased baking dish. Pour the batter over the top and use a spoon or spatula to spread evenly over the apples. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the remaining brown sugar and butter with 375ml of water and a generous pinch of salt. Cook over a medium heat until the sugar and butter has melted.
- Carefully pour the butter and sugar mixture over the top of the batter, running it over the back of a large spoon so that the sauce sits on top and doesn’t mix into the batter.
- Place into the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the pudding is golden and comes out clean when the cake layer is tested with a skewer.
- Leave to sit for 10 minutes to allow the caramel to cool slightly, then serve with cream or scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Notes
I used a 26cm diameter shallow casserole dish to bake this pudding, and the handles make it so easy to transfer in and out of the oven.
Tinned pears would be a delicious substitute to apples in this recipe!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 611Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 84mgSodium: 257mgCarbohydrates: 113gFiber: 2gSugar: 71gProtein: 8g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya
Ruth says
Made it with tinned pears and it tasted delicious - was an instant hit will all the kids. I made the mistake of not draining the juice off the tinned pears so there was way too much liquid/ sauce. Will definitely be making again though
VJ cooks says
Oh what a good idea using pears!
Olivia says
Hi VJ,
I’ve just made this, the sauce has turned out very watery/didnt thicken at all. Any tips? Followed the recipe as standard. Still delicious
VJ cooks says
Hey Olivia, sorry to hear that. I think it might be the age-old problem of different oven temperatures. Unfortunately not all ovens run at the same heat -despite the number in the dial! I would suggest adjusting the temperature either up or down by 5 degrees depending on whether your oven runs 'hot' or 'cold'. If the oven is too hot, the sauce wouldn't have had enough time to thicken before the cake browns, too cool and it won't reach a high enough temp to thicken.
Lena says
I just made this recipe for my little family to change things up from the old self saucing chocolate pudding! Super yum thanks for the recipe.
I did find that after cooking the sponge right through, it was floating in the dish with a lot of watery sauce underneath. We still loved it and just left the watery sauce in the pan. Will defs make again maybe with less water in the sauce part
Sarah says
I was wondering whether the tinned apples should be drained before using, and from the comments it looks like maybe that’s the case? The recipe isn’t clear.
VJ cooks says
Apologies for the confusion, they should be drained. I've updated the recipe to make this clearer.