Pudding Cake

This yummy recipe was given to me by my friend Gloria. I changed a few things, keeping everything homemade. To let all the stages scare you off. You can take the time to do it all from scratch or buy a lot of the stuff already made.

PUDDING CAKE 

(serves 12)

Pudding Ingredients:

*2 cups whole milk

*1/2 cup white sugar

*3 tablespoons cornstarch

*1/4 teaspoon salt

*1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

*1 tablespoon butter

(or use 3 ounce package of jello pudding, 'cook not instant'

Sponge Cake Ingredients:

*6 eggs

*1 cup white sugar

*1/4 cup water

*Juice squeezed from one orange

*1 teaspoon orange zest

*1 cup cake flour

*1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter

*1/4 teaspoon salt

(or buy a sponge or angel food cake)

Whipped Cream Ingredients:

*1 cup heavy cream

*1 cup heavy cream

*3 teaspoons pure vanilla

*3 tablespoons powdered sugar

(or buy cool whip)

Extra Ingredients:

*1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

*3 cups of fresh fruit

(I used 1 cup of each blueberries, strawberries, & raspberries)

Pudding Directions: 

~In a medium saucepan over medium heat.

~Heat milk until bubbles from at edges.

~In a small bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt.

~Pour into hot milk, a little at a time, stirring to dissolve.

~Continue to cook and stir with a metal whisk until mixture thickens enough to stick to whisk (or back of a metal spoon).

~Do not let it boil.

~Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and butter.

~Pour into a medium bowl and chill.

Sponge Cake Directions:

~Separate the eggs.

~In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks until very thick and lemon yellow color.

~Beat in sugar gradually.

~Add water, lemon extract, and lemon rind.

~Beat in flour

~In another bowl, beat egg whites until frothy.

~Add cream of tarter and salt.

~Beat mixture until whites are stiff, but not dry.

~Fold this whipped mixture into yolk mixture.

~Pour batter into an ungreased 9X13 inch pan.

~Bake at 325 degrees for 30-40, or until done.

Whipped cream directions:

~In a large bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks are just about to form.

~Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form.

~Do not overbeat.

Dessert Directions:

~Cream the cream cheese by beating until fluffy.

~Add 1 cup of whipped topping.

~Beat again.

~Add cooled pudding.

~Mix with whipped cream until smooth.

~Prepare clear trifle bowl by cutting cake into 1/2 inch slices.

~Line the bottom of the bowl with cake.

~Add 1/2 of the fruit.

~Pour pudding/cheese mixture into the bowl over cake.

~Cool in refrigerator for one hour.

~Cover pudding/cheese mixture with remaining whipped cream.

~Garnish top with remaining fruit.

~Chill again for 4 hours until set.

Variation:

Substitute Orange juice & zest for fresh squeezed lemon juice & lemon zest.