Harvest "Pudding" Upside Down Cake

Sometimes experiments work out! 

Well it is that time again, where I pick a recipe from my 1950's recipe book, and use it as an inspiration and because most of you all know me so very well, you know that I can not just follow the recipe and leave it alone, and this time it is no different.  This time I did leave it be tho... well sort of. Keep reading.... *wink* 

So here is what I had to work with, and also margarine not shown
and ..

...the recipe I started with.

Ok so by now you are scratching your head! So here is the story. When I was a girl my Grandma often would cook with me while I was staying with her, and one of her go to dishes was apples cooked in red hot cinnamon candies. I loved these. They were both sweet and well, hot at the same time, and served warm or cold they were one of my favorite, and she always made it for big family gatherings. I once shared her recipe on my blog so many moons ago, and it was popular. I always thought that it was her own personal recipe, but turns out it was a popular one in the 1950's! When I saw it in my cookbook I started craving them, and then the mad scientist retro housewife in me 

( how's that for a title *giggle*) , got to work...how could I possibly tweak it?? Well I had also been thinking of making an upside down cake. I had not ever made one and was in the mood for a challenge. I had a cake mix from when I made whoopie pies and shared it here on the blog, a can of pumpkin when I made muffins , and then it clicked... I could make a harvest upside down cake...."WAIT!" you are saying, "so where does the pudding come in; I don't see any in the photo", well, you are right, it's not. The pudding comes from the what happens during the baking process. Between the apples, and the pumpkin, it creates a super moist pudding like cake!! Just like magic, and I was not even expecting it! So let's get started! First we will make the apples....

Core and then peel the apple....I only used two quite
large apples, the recipe is for four...I say make
the recipe and keep the extra to put over ice cream
or on pork chops even!

Slice apples as instructed in the recipe

Take the water, sugar and cinnamon candies and
follow the directions of cooking to a boil till all the sweet
part dissolves.

Once the liquid comes to a boil, add sliced apples
and then lower heat and keep spooning the liquid
over the apples cook as directed.

Cook till the apples are soft, but not falling apart.
set aside....

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and meanwhile,
gather some cooking spray, margarine and
cinnamon and a little sugar.

Spray baking dish, dot with margarine,
sprinkle with a dusting of sugar.....

Add 1 to two layers of apple slices, your choice. put a bit of the
liquid from the pan over the apples, and then lightly sprinkle
with cinnamon. 

Now, mix one can of pumpkin, 1 egg, 1 pouch of cake mix,
I used yellow, but spice would be yummy too! 

Mix together until well blended

Smooth the mix over the apples, put it in the pre-heated oven,
and I baked it for about 30 minutes, but basically bake
until a toothpick comes out clean. Once that is the case,
put cake on the counter on a rack, to cool for awhile ....but not
too long. I waited about 15-20 minutes. Then with a plate on the top,
carefully turn upside down..BE CAREFUL there might be some liquid that
dribbles out...I used a cloth to catch that. 

Isn't it pretty???

The proud and happy homemaker! 

Served warm, with or without ice cream and a glass of
either wine or bubbly, in this case to balance the sweetness
is a reward for a job well done. 

Come back Tuesday to find out what's in this pretty little package.