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Bramley Apple Mincemeat Pudding is a must at this time of year. It’s an excellent way of using up all your excess mincemeat or makes a lighter alternative to Christmas Pudding at the end of your festive feast. Both the regular flour and gluten-free recipes are listed below.
If you are looking for ways to use up that jar of leftover mincemeat then look no further than this recipe.
I am a mincemeat fiend. Making the mincemeat is one of my very favourite cooking jobs to do. It fills my kitchen with the heady scent of brandy, plump fruits and warming spices.
It’s pretty telling that I have several mincemeat recipes on this blog and each one I try to make every year:
- Victorian Mincemeat – which contains real beef mince
- Cranberry Cointreau Mincemeat – nut free and vegan
- Easy Mincemeat – just a quick stir and you can use immediately
So it perhaps comes as no surprise that I usually have a lot knocking around my kitchen throughout the season. It’s an incredibly versatile festive ingredient though so don’t worry if you’ve made too much. I’ve got your covered.
I have to say though this Bramley Apple and Mincemeat Pudding is just about my favourite way to use mincemeat. The tartness of the Bramleys give a lovely contrast to the sweetness of the mincemeat. Plus, it’s:
- Light
- Fruity
- Easy
- Festive
Some Christmas desserts have the propensity to be a bit of a faff but this pudding takes moments to mix up and bake, perfect for cold nights in front of the fire.
Plus it works with every single mincemeat I’ve ever tried: shop bought or homemade, suet or suet-free.
Other recipes to use up leftover mincemeat
- Mince Pie Cheesecake Oat Bars
- Christmas Morning Mince Pie Muffins
- Mince Pie Cupcakes with Brandy Buttercream
- Gluten-Free Mince Pies
Alternative to Christmas Pudding
However this Bramley Apple and Mincemeat Pudding is not just the means to the end of a jar of mincemeat though. It can be an excellent dessert choice for the big day itself.
If you know you have some Christmas Pud haters at your festive feast this year then this pudding is guaranteed to be a people pleaser.
Do you need more alternatives to the traditional Christmas Pudding?
Lemon Raspberry Trifle
Chocolate Chip Clementine Christmas Pudding with Cointreau Sauce
Steamed Chocolate Pudding with Chocolate Custard
Sticky Toffee Baileys Pudding
How to Make Bramley Apple Mincemeat Pudding
1. Mix diced bramley apples with sugar, lemon zest and juice. Pour into a buttered baking dish and set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar.
3. Add the eggs.
4. Stir in the vanilla extract and mincemeat.
5. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt and mix with the rest of the ingredients.
6. Stir in the milk.
7. Pour the batter on top of the apples.
8. Bake for 45 minutes in an oven pre-heated to 170°C
9. Sprinkle over caster sugar. Serve warm with custard.
Baker’s Tips
- If you can’t get hold of Bramley Apples then any tart cooking apple will do the job.
- Cream the butter and sugar until creamy and light which will help the sponge to lift.
- Use medium eggs.
- Use really good vanilla extract and the best mincemeat you can find. Homemade is especially good.
- Place the pudding to bake in the centre of the oven to ensure even baking.
FAQ’s
- What Size Baking Dish? 25 x 19 x 6cm
- Make Ahead – If you want to make ahead of time to avoid the bother on Christmas Day then I recommend baking it a day or two before. Cover with foil then re-heat in the oven for 20-30 minutes just before serving.
- How to Freeze – This pudding freezes really well too. Cool in the baking dish then double wrap well in both cling film and tin foil before freezing. Defrost thoroughly the night before then re-heat in the oven for 20-30 minutes, covered loosely with foil.
How to Make Gluten-Free Bramley Apple and Mincemeat Pudding
This recipe was developed before I became gluten-free but since I couldn’t bear to live without it once I made my lifestyle switch I quickly came up with a gluten-free version.
The recipe is exactly the same but instead of 150g plain flour, whisk up the following blend of flours:
- 55g sweet rice flour
- 40g oat flour
- 30g millet flour
- 25g almond flour
The result is amazing and just as fluffy and deeply delicious as the original recipe.
How to serve Bramley Apple and Mincemeat Pudding
- Lashings of Custard
- Single Cream
- Brandy Cream
- Ice Cream
If you make this Bramley Apple and Mincemeat Pudding then please leave a comment below and/or give the recipe a rating. If you then go on to use this recipe as a launch pad for your own baking creation then I’d also love it if you’d share it and tag me on Instagram. It is so lovely for me to see your versions and variations of my recipes.
My parting words: Be adventurous with your mincemeat!!
Bramley Apple and Mincemeat Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 bramley apples peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons soft light brown sugar
- grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
- 150 g butter
- 150 g caster sugar
- 3 eggs medium
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons mincemeat
- 150 g plain flour *for gluten-free version see notes
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar to sprinkle
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 170°C.
- In a large bowl mix the bramley apples with the brown sugar and lemon zest and juice. Pour into a buttered baking dish and set aside
- Cream the butter and caster sugar for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until thoroughly incorporated.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and then the mincemeat.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt then mix into the rest of the ingredients until just combined.
- Finally stir in the milk.
- Pour the batter on top of the apples then bake in the oven for around 45 minutes until the sponge has browned on top and an inserted toothpicks comes out clean.
- Sprinkle over the teaspoon of caster sugar and serve with lashings of custard.
Notes
- Bramley Apples - If you can’t get hold of Bramley Apples then any tart cooking apple will do the job.
- Mincemeat - you can use any mincemeat but homemade tastes the most delicious
- Baking Dish 25 x 19 x 6cm
- Make Ahead - Bake the pudding a day or two before. Keep in the fridge. Cover loosely with foil then re-heat in the oven for 20-30 minutes just before serving.
- How to Freeze - Cool in the baking dish then double wrap well in both cling film and tin foil before freezing. Defrost thoroughly the night before then re-heat in the oven for 20-30 minutes, covered loosely with foil.
- Gluten-Free Version - The recipe is totally the same except instead of plain flour I use the following flours all whisked together:
55g sweet rice flour
40g oat flour
30g millet flour
25g almond flour
The result is amazing and just as fluffy and deeply delicious as the original recipe.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in December 2014, but was republished with clearer instructions and tips in July 2019.
Mince Pie Cupcakes with Mincemeat & Brandy Buttercream
Almond & Mincemeat Christmas Sponge Cake
Cranberry Clementine Sauce
Hello, so lovely of you to drop by. I am Georgina. I bake a lot, eat a lot and love writing about my gluten-free kitchen adventures here. I run a gluten-free cake business but am mostly kept busy with my 2 cats, 1 dog, 1 husband, 2 gorgeous sons and twin baby girls.
Really good pudding, thank you! I used a glass soufflé dish approx 21cm diameter and it was just right. Plenty for six of us (with seconds!) Also use the caster sugar in the sponge mix and the brown sugar with the apples, recipe wasn’t clear.
Hi Penny – that’s great to hear!! You’re right my instructions weren’t clear – amended now – thank you!!
This is a lovely pudding. Having a lot of apples we have lots of apple puddings at this time of the year and the week before had an apple sponge with sultanas but the mincemeat addition makes this much more. It does remind you of Christmas pudding, will definitely be a regular. Thanks for the recipe.
That’s brilliant to hear – you are more than welcome!
Wow this is delicious . Made this for lots of people, neighbours, friends and family and they all love it and it’s so easy to make. Oh and one very happy husband. Thankyou
A pleasure! So happy you enjoyed it!
It really was lovely, I will be making it often and it did freeze very well.
That’s great – I’m happy you liked it. Thank you for giving your feedback on the recipe!!
Hi this sounds and looks delicious- I would need to make the gluten free version as I have coeliac disease. My question is – can I make with plain gluten free flour rather than buy all the different types of flour you list? Thank you
Hi Skye – absolutely! If you work with the quantity of the regular plain flour in the original recipe then use half plain gluten-free flour and half ground almonds. You need the ground almonds to stabilise the gf flour as otherwise it could turn out gritty and crumbly.
Absolutely gorgeous pudding! A big hit with my family and now added to my book of favourite recipes.
That’s brilliant – thank you Christine!
I needed a recipe to use up mincemeat. This one is perfect and so easy! Thank you!
You’re welcome – I’m happy you liked the recipe!
I made this recipe as had leftover homemade mincemeat and wanted to try something different. I did the gluten free version and ohhhhh myyyy goodness it was incredible!! Love this recipe and will be making it again very soon!!
Hi Rachel, thank you so much for your lovely comment. It’s one of my favourite seasonal puddings – so happy you enjoyed it!!
Thanks – sounds delicious- can I make this up the night before and then just pop in the oven to cook while we eat main course ?
Actually I wouldn’t recommend preparing it in advance. Cake batter doesn’t really like to rest. However, if you would like it warm then make it completely the day before and the next day place foil over the top of the pudding and re-heat in the oven. About 180 degrees for 15 minutes.
Georgina, what a gorgeous pudding! Your directions make this seem like such an easy approach, too. I would love to make this soon!
Hi Alyssa – thank you so much! Let me know if you give it a try!!
Thanks Georgina – I’ll give it another go but it was still a delicious alternative at Christmas – just finished it off with custard and cream!!!!!!
Made this tonight and it was delicious! May serve left overs after Christmas lunch instead of the usual heavy pud! Could I just ask why you use plain flour/baking powder instead of SR! My batter was very wet and the cake browned very quickly before cooking in the centre so I had to cover with foil, and playvaroubd with timings. Also is your temp for a fan oven? Many thanks
Hi Kaz, I don’t like to use self-raising flour as I like to control the amount of rise in my cakes. Also, it felt like an extra bag of flour in the cupboard that I didn’t need when the job can be done with plain flour, baking or bicarbonate of soda. That’s odd that your batter was wet, it’s usually a bit firmer. I actually can’t think why that would be. Did you use large eggs? I usually use medium, although I can’t think that would have made too much of a difference. If the batter was wet then that would explain the odd cooking time. This one is usually a very reliable recipe. No, the temp here is not for a fan oven. I’m glad you enjoyed it though, despite the issues.
What a glorious Christmas morning brunch. Much too wonderful a recipe not to try NOW.
Happy Christmas Georgina,
will you be publishing a book any time soon?
keep warm and continue your fab journey thru food. Jill, Canada
Happy Christmas Jill! No cookbook planned as yet, but definitely one day!!
Hi Georgina
This sounds delicious and I intend to make it tonight. Could you give me an idea of what size the baking dish should be? Thanks
Hi Allison, the dish I used was 25.2 x 19 x 5.6 cm. I hope that helps!
Dear Georgina, this looks delicious and I have all the ingredients to hand. Do you think this dish would freeze well, once baked? Or could it freeze before baking? I like to get ahead with as much as possible and this dish would be lovely over the Christmas period, because of th Mincemeat element. Thank you. Regards, Penny
Hi Penny. Yes, this will freeze very well after baking. Leave it in its baking dish, then once cooled wrap well in double cling film and foil. The night before you want to serve it remove from the freezer to defrost thoroughly then re-heat in the oven for 20-30 minutes with foil loosely over the top to stop it browning further. Enjoy!!
This pudding tasted wonderful and I would make it again. We don’t have Bramley apples here so I substituted Cortlands, which worked fine. I live in Canada so I had to convert the 150gm ingredients and given the outcome I think there is too much butter in the recipe. Despite having 3 eggs and 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder, the sponge did not rise as much as I expected but all that butter may have been the reason. If you have perfected the recipe for those of us across the pond, I would love to see it.
I’m happy the recipe worked out well for you. I’m terrible at baking in cups and sticks of butter as I just don’t quite understand how it works. I would translate 150g butter to 2/3 cup butter – I’m not sure if that’s how much you used. The sponge isn’t sky high in the original recipe as it’s definitely more of a pudding than a cake.