Boozy Gooseberry and Currant Pudding Cake

Its been a while since I did a baking post so its high time I made something sweet and baked for you! This cake has since been made again since the original creation - just to double check of course that it was still delicious - fortunately it was! Its a really comforting, homely pudding and served with lashings of custard to complete it! B declared it 10/10 which now leaves my next bake quite scary to compete!

When I think of gooseberries I think of my brother. Growing up there was an assortment of fruit bushes in the garden including a gooseberry bush, and he delighted as a child in throwing the prickly little fruits at my bare legs!! Anyway fortunately the gooseberry in this cake involves a jar of gooseberry jam so its very safe to prepare! My dad bought the jam from a farm shop a while back and I found it hiding in the fridge, not very sure what to do with it as it was a little bit sharp on its own... A week or so beforehand I had made a similar and delicious cake without the jam part which was very tasty and then my brain started scheming and in went the jam.....

The currants were leftover from making hot cross buns - is it me or are they really small? I was honestly surprised upon opening the bag up! I'd never bought them before admittedly and it was faintly amusing to me for a while! Lastly the other key ingredient is sweet wine - I really dislike sweet wine but a friend was throwing it out as she didn't like it either and as I hate waste and thought it could be re-born at a later date....waste not want not.. 

As I was serving this cake in the baking dish, I opted to use my well loved pie dish - and it worked a treat! Its an ancient but still lovely Le Creuset one I got free when taking out a magazine subscription a long, long time ago and washes up a treat! They don't make this model anymore but guessing its still the 24cm size.

Ingredients:

60g dried currants

4tbsp sweet wine

2 large eggs - apx 140g

140g caster sugar

140g soft margarine/ butter

100g gooseberry jam

160g self rasising flour

1 tsp baking powder (I used Dr Oetker's sachets - so easy to use!)

1 tbsp demerara sugar

Start by placing the currants and wine in a small bowl to soak - at least 15 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 180o.

Grease the pie dish with a little butter using a bit of kitchen paper

*I use a mixer for baking as my arms protest otherwise - if by hand do the same order*

Cream together the butter and sugar until fully combined and soft. Add the eggs and beat for a few seconds, with the mixer on low gently tip in the flour and baking powder, followed by the jam and soaked currants with any remaining wine until its all combined but don't over beat it! Sprinkle over the demerara sugar - this gives a nice little crunch when baked!

Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish and bake for 55 minutes or until a skewer comes away clean and its all lovely and golden on top.

Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving with lots of lovely custard!

As my cake used up neglected jam, leftover currants and unwanted wine I've entered this in Elizabeth's No Waste Food Challenge, held this month by Jibber Jabber. I am hosting in July and this is a great way of making sure you don't throw anything away!