Ruth's Cherry Pudding

Ruth was the vivacious mother of three, grandmother of ten, my grandma. She was a teacher, an avid reader, a phenomenal baker. The following recipe is adapted from my childhood memories of summer baking sessions, sans air-conditioning, with grandma.

The term "pudding" is something of a misnomer. This dessert is not a creamy, custard-like concoction, but a light, moist cake laced with luscious fruit. This recipe is incredibly versatile and I will include several variations.

1 cup sugar (DIVIDED)

8 T Crisco Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening (DIVIDED)

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup SO Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk

2 t baking powder

1 cup flour

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 t almond extract

1 quart (4 cups) cherries

Heat the oven to 375 and grease a large, oven safe bowl.

Cream 1/2 cup sugar with 6 T Crisco in the greased bowl.

Add applesauce, coconut milk, vanilla and almond extracts and mix thoroughly.

Mix in the baking powder and distribute throughout the batter before adding flour.

In a sauce pan heat 1 quart cherries, 2 T Crisco, and 1/2 cup sugar until it reaches a slow boil.

Stir for five minutes and then pour the boiling mixture over the batter.

The cake will bake up through the fruit but remain moist.

Bake for 45-55 mins.

Notes for variations:

If fresh or frozen cherries are used, follow the fruit instruction above.

If the fruit is canned and already in a syrup based juice, omit the sugar and merely heat the fruit and Crisco.

Peaches are perfect for this recipe as well. Fresh peaches are incredible in this dessert, but canned peaches substitute well. With fresh peaches, I slice the fruit, toss it with the 1/2 cup sugar, and allow it to sit for an hour. I then add the melted Crisco in addition to upping the almond extract to 1 t.

Tonight, I used a mixture of frozen blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and cherries (see the picture) and the "pudding" would have made my grandma smile.