Bramley Apple and Mincemeat Pudding

If you are looking for ways to use up that jar of leftover mincemeat then look no further than this Bramley Apple and Mincemeat Sponge Pudding. The tartness of the Bramleys give a lovely contrast to the sweetness of the mincemeat and it's full of festive flavour plus being so quick and easy to bake.

I first published this recipe 10 years ago (the photos above are from my original post) and it's received many 5 star reviews since then, both with the original version and also the gluten-free alternative.

⭐️"I initially made this pud to use up mincemeat leftover from Christmas. But now I buy mincemeat to make it, because it is so delicious."⭐️

⭐️"I came across this recipe because I wanted to use up the last of my homemade mincemeat...oh wow!! This is my favourite ever pudding! It’s so easy to make and tastes divine with warm custard...or on its own."⭐️

⭐️"This is absolutely delicious and will now be a new Christmas favourite in our house!"⭐️

Ingredients Needed

Bramley apples. You can use any cooking apple but bramleys give a lovely soft texture and gentle tartness.

Brown sugar. Gives sweetness to the bed of apples plus a lovely gentle molasses flavour and moisture.

Lemon. Make sure it is unwaxed and organic otherwise you need to scrub off the wax.

Unsalted butter. We need unsalted so we can control the salt content of the recipe. Make sure it is at room temperature.

Caster sugar. It’s a fine white baking sugar available in the UK. Regular white granulated sugar can be substituted.

Eggs. This recipe uses medium size, about 60g each with shell (50g each without shell). These are often classified as large eggs in the US. I recommend weighing your eggs to ensure the correct amount.

Vanilla extract. Use a good quality extract, I like Nielsen Massey.

Mincemeat. You can use shop bought but homemade mincemeat will always be the true winner! Try it with either this Easy Traditional Mincemeat or this fruity Cranberry Mincemeat. With or without suet doesn't matter.

All-purpose flour (for the gluten-free version you can use any brand of gluten-free flour) . Since this recipe was originally published with regular all-purpose wheat flour I know it still has many fans who love this recipe so I have retained it here. However, these days I make this recipe with a blend of 50% gluten-free flour (any brand) and 50% almond flour which gives great results.

Almond flour. The almond flour is needed in the gluten-free version to stabilise the flour and keep the right texture and structure. Don't worry about including almond flour if you are making the original version. You are looking for blanched ground almonds. There is a bit of labelling confusion over almond flour which is sold as ‘ground almonds’ in most major UK supermarkets and found in the baking aisle. If you want to know what exactly you are looking for then check out this post >>>Is Almond Flour The Same As Ground Almonds.

Baking powder. A leaving agent which causes the cake to rise and become light and fluffy. Do check your baking powder is gluten-free before use.

Salt. I like to use kosher salt in my baking as it has a round gentle flavour. Using salt in your baked goods lifts and sharpens all the other flavours.

Milk. Use whole milk, you just need a little splash to loosen the mixture.

How to Make Bramley Apple Mincemeat Pudding

For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.

Prepare the Apples. Peel and dice the Bramley apples, then mix with brown sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Pour the mixture into a buttered baking dish and set aside.

Cream the Butter and Sugar. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the Eggs. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined, followed by the vanilla extract.

Mix in Mincemeat. Mix in the mincemeat, ensuring everything is well mixed.

Incorporate the Dry Ingredients. Sift together flour (plus almond flour if you are making the gluten-free version), baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Fold this into the wet mixture until just combined.

Add the Milk. Gently stir in the milk, making sure the batter is smooth and evenly mixed.

Assemble and Bake. Pour the batter over the prepared apples. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C / 160°C fan assisted / gas mark 4 / 350°FC for 45 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.

Finish and Serve. Once baked, sprinkle the top with a little caster sugar. Serve warm, ideally with a generous helping of custard.