Plum and Pear Sponge Pudding

I absolutely cannot stand wasting food so try and make the most of what we have.  With that in mind I try to use up anything that is over-ripe, not quite ideal for eating on it's own or just needs using up.  There were some pears and plums in the fruit bowl that were past their best so I decided to make a sponge pudding, as you do.

I used my really easy sponge traybake recipe to top some chopped raw fruit.  I didn't even have to peel the plums and pears, just chopped around the stone and core then put the pieces of fruit in the bottom of the baking tray and smoothed sponge batter over the top.  The result was a delicious pudding with loads of lovely fruit that others may have thrown away.

Here's the recipe:

About 2 or 3 cups of chopped raw fruit, I used pears and plums but you could use apples, peaches, apricots, necatrines, cherries whatever you need to use up.

Put the fruit in the bottom of the traybake tin.  Then make the sponge to go over the top.  Put the following into a stand mixer or beat with an electric beater for 2 minutes:

175g really soft butter or baking spread
225g self raising flour
1 1/2 tsp of baking powder
175g caster sugar
2 free range eggs
3 Tblsp/45ml milk

Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line a traybake tin approximately 12 x 9 inches or 20 x 22cm.
 
Spread the sponge batter over the chopped fruit and level the top.
 
 

 

Bake the sponge for about 25 - 30 minutes until the cake has shrunk away from the sides of the tin slightly and springs back in the centre if you press it lightly with your fingertips.

 

Leave the sponge to cool in the tin slightly before you serve it.  We had ours with vanilla icecream but you could serve it with thick yoghurt, cream or on it's own.  It is also fab for morning tea the next day, not that I am admitting to anything!