Saturday, November 23, 2013

The "Proof" Is In The Pudding - Butter Rum Drenched Apricot Almond Cake


I really hesitate to call this a "Pudding Cake", cause it's SO much more than that.  I think of pudding cakes as having actual pudding under the cake layer..  Like a Brownie Pudding cake.  While this is technically in the same venue as a Brownie Pudding cake, the result is slightly different.  It's not so much a "pudding" that forms underneath as it is a gooey buttery rum laced sauce of complete and utter deliciousness.  One that MUST be spooned liberally over the richly dense brown sugar cake studded with apricots and almonds that miraculously floats upon the sea of said buttery rum laced deliciousness.

I mean, seriously, it is a little slice of heaven drenched in more heaven and then topped with a whipped cream cloud!

Break out that Corningware though, cause your gonna need it.  While I do not normally promote Pyrex on this site, being dedicated to Corningware and all, a set of Pyrex Opalene nesting bowls will probably be of great benefit (cause your gonna need three of them).  I picked a hodgepodge when I started.  2 Cinderella style and 1 regular style.

The most important thing for this recipe is the Corningware Utility 8x8 Pan (P-322).  It comes out perfectly every time.  In metal, the cake gets overdone and dry. When baked in clear glass the rum sauce tends to coagulate. Personally, I think it is because the rum sauce is shy.  If your peeking at it through the bottom of the glass baking dish, it has an anxiety attack and seizes up.  The opacity of Corningware will make the sauce feel safely hidden from prying eyes; it won't even know you are there.  Thus, it will stay nice and relaxed until you break through the cake's surface and dive in.  ;-)

Butter Rum Drenched Apricot Almond Cake
(Rum Pudding Cake)

1 1/2 cups AP Flour
1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar, divided
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2 grates of Nutmeg
1/8 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 cup sliced Almonds
8 oz unsulphured dried Apricots, chopped
4 TB unsalted Butter, sliced into chunks
2 1/2 cups Boiling Water, divided
1/2 cup Dark Rum
1 tsp Vanilla extract
 ~For serving Whipped Cream

Corningware 6 cup Teapot (P-104)
Corningware 8x8 Utility Pan (P-322)
~optional 2 cup Pyrex Measuring Pitcher
~optional 4 quart, 2.5 quart & 1.5 quart Pyrex Cinderella Bowls (or other mixing bowls)


Preheat the Oven to 350F degrees.
Fill the 6 cup Teapot (P-104) with water and set over medium-high flame to bring the water to a boil.

In the large mixing bowl (4 quart), combing Flour, 1/2 cup of the Brown Sugar, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt, Cinnamon and Nutmeg.

Stir with a whisk to combine.

Add the Almonds and give them a toss with the dry ingredients, then set the bowl aside.

In the medium mixing bowl (2.5 quart), place chopped Apricots and the Butter, then set aside.

In the smallest bowl (1.5 quart), place 1 cup of Brown Sugar and set aside.

Once the Water comes to a boil your ready.  So when the water is boiling, measure out 1 cup into a Pyrex pitcher or other measuring device.

Return the 6 cup Teapot (P-104) to the flame so the water continues to boil.

Pour the boiling water over the Apricots and Butter.

Stir until the Butter is completely melted.

Measure out 1/4 cup Dark Rum.

Add the Rum along with the Vanilla, to the Apricot/Butter mixture and stir to combine.

Pour the Apricot/Butter/Rum mixture over the dry ingredients.

Stir until well combined.

Pour the batter into an ungreased 8x8 inch Utility Pan (P-322).

Spread the batter evenly with a spatula.

Remove the 6 cup Teapot (P-104) from the flame and pour 1 1/2 cups of the boiling water into the Pyrex pitcher (or other measuring device).

Pour the boiling water over the Brown Sugar in the small bowl.

Stir until completely dissolved.

Pour the "syrup" very slowly over the cake batter.

It's OK, if there are a few batter pieces floating, but try to keep it to a minimum.

Carefully move the 8x8 Utility Pan (P-322) into the preheated oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

You will notice that after the first 10 minutes, the cake and the syrup will have traded places.  (I told you it was shy... it's already trying to hide in the bottom of the pan where you cannot see it)

When the cake is done (when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs) remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Cut in and watch the sauce flow........

Move a piece to a plate and spoon the unctuous Butter Rum sauce over the top.

Serve with a dollop of Whipped Cream.


MMM!!!   MMM!!! Magic on a plate!!!

Where is your Corningware??
~~

7 comments:

  1. Shane, this looks unbelievably delicious. I can't resist trying it. I've been reading your blog(s) for some time now and I recall in one of your older posts saying not to use metal pots on the P-12-ES model of the electromatic skillets. I have the P-12 version and the Table Range version as well, and yesterday in need of a way to simmer a beef stock, I grabbed the P-12-ES and put my 8qt stainless steel stockpot on top and simmered for about 6 hours (obviously I switched the two up and meant to grab the one you can use metal on). It seems none the worse for wear and is still working well. It has me thinking, why not metal pots? Do you have any insight?

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  2. I may, have insight, that is.... I have a feeling, cause it's in the instruction manual that one should not use regular pots and pans on the P-12-ES, that it has to do with the rampant use of Aluminum cookware at the time. Magnalite and Guardian to name a couple. Aluminum is very soft but can scratch, especially in the case of the Guardian hammered aluminum cookware. Other companies use to, and some still do, paint the outsides of their aluminum cookware and it is possible that the surface could attract the paint and it could potentially stain the surface of the hot plate. I think it was really more of a precaution, just to prevent complaints from customers.

    But I have also noticed that the plate on the E-1310 is significantly shinier than the P-12-ES and it makes me wonder, since there is no such precaution in the instructions, if the surface material is a slightly different formulation that happens to be a little stronger and more scratch resistant. Then too, there is the question of the element. In the P-12-ES. the element is just on the other side of the plate (a ribbon element) with a layer of insulation and then the bottom. I have not taken an E-1310 apart yet, but it is possible that the element is embedded in the pyroceramic glass, for better heat conduction with different pots.

    All this aside, I do not really have a definitive answer for why the instruction manual advises against it.

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  3. I 100% agree that the top plates are different. I have 2 of the P-12-ES ($5 each at estate sales, how could I pass them up) and both have minor scratches whereas my E-1310 looks like it came out of the box. Always helpful, thank you.

    PS - really enjoying the blog. I made the orange jicama chicken recently. Delicious.

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  4. That cake looks so good! I'm thinking about swapping the apricots for chopped dates to make a version of sticky toffee pudding.

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  5. That sounds delicious! This recipe lends itself well to multiple combinations of liquor, fruit and nuts. I have used brandy with dried cherries and almonds, bourbon with dried cranberries and pecans, dried mango or pineapple with macadamias is nice too... with the original rum.

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  6. I have pyroceram A1 does this mean it from the very first mold on the very first year

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    Replies
    1. That depends on where it's is marked... Usually A-1 is a model mumber meaning a 1 quart manufactured after 1972.. but if it is embossed on the bottom along with the words "Corning Ware Pyroceram" it could be a mold number and it would be a 1st generation piece made between 1958 and 1959.

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