Quick and Easy Harvest Baking

 It's quick to put together, with simple ingredients that were already on hand, and doubles up nicely for a crowd. Did I mention that it adjusts very easily to be gluten-free AND dairy-free?

It's Northwest Apple Pudding!

This is a recipe that my grandma used to bake, then my mom, and now myself. Although the recipe suggests serving warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, I prefer it with a light dusting of powdered sugar because that is how I remember having it, and it just feels like the way it should be. 

Ironically, digging into the history of this recipe from a family perspective, my grandma came by this one from a powdered sugar box -which may be why I remember it with the powdered sugar dusting. Apparently, my grandma used to like to serve this with a hard sauce, which is kind of like a loose buttercream flavored with brandy. However, because it was to be a family-friendly dish, she wouldn't use alcohol and flavored it with nutmeg. 

Are you ready to try this?? You will not regret it.

I will note the adjustments I used to make it gluten and dairy free following the original recipe as well as any other notes I have. 

Northwest Apple Pudding

• 1 Cup sugar
• 1/4 Cup soft butter
• 1 egg
• 2 Cup peeled, shredded apples
• 1 Cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 Cup chopped nuts

Gradually add sugar to butter. Beat in egg. Add apples. Sift together and then add: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Beat until smooth. Add nuts. Bake in a greased 8x8" pan at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Adjustments: 

• To make dairy-free, I swap the butter for coconut oil. 
• To make gluten-free, we swap the flour for Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free flour
• Feel free to mix up your spices, just keep it heavier with cinnamon. I used a homemade pie spice mix that includes cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger and put in 2 tsp total.
• Raisins also go well with this recipe and can be added in at the end with the nuts. My kids don't love raisins, so I don't often add them. 
• Nuts: Walnuts or pecans work best in this recipe.
• Serve as recommended, or dust with powdered sugar like me. Maybe try it like Grandma with some hard sauce, or just grab a fork and eat warm from the pan...no judgement, it's that good. 

One last picture, of the last piece with the recipe in it's published form, as seen in the St. Luke's Episcopal Church Cookbook ca.1988

Enjoy!