Orange pudding for cake and pie lovers

Orange pudding has a meringue topping, similar to lemon meringue pie. (Photos: Debbie Arrington)

Recipe: Another vintage find for family gatherings

By Debbie Arrington

This vintage dessert is part cake, part pie, which makes it a "Different Orange Pudding."

 
I found this golden oldie in my great-grandmother's recipe box, the same resource that yielded "Asparagus a la Sacramento." The pudding recipe was clipped from a magazine, using the same format as the asparagus.

Attributed to "Mrs. R.P.O., Yuba City," the original recipe appeared in Sunset magazine in spring 1937. It was like no pudding recipe I had ever read, orange or not.

This is how Mrs. R.P.O. introduced Different Orange Pudding:
"This old-time yet little-known pudding is just as happy a choice for spring or summer luncheon or dinner dessert, for company or family, as it is for fall or winter use. Though inexpensive, it looks and tastes expensive! Best of all, it may -- in fact, should -- be made well in advance of serving time. First, make a simple cake."

"Wait a minute!" I said out loud. "You have to bake a cake before you make the pudding?!"

That nixed the recipe right there; if I was going to bake a cake, I was going to eat it, too.

But then I realized: This recipe was written before the proliferation of box mixes or ready-made supermarket baked goods. What if I already had extra cake? That made this pudding a resourceful way of re-using leftovers.

I substituted half a yellow cake (one 9-inch layer) for the base.

A thin layer of meringue conceals the mess underneath.

The orange sauce is like lemon pie filling, only orange. Poured over the cake pieces, the thick sauce created something similar to a dump cake, but creamier. The toasted meringue concealed the delicious mess underneath.

Once I assembled it, I recognized Different Orange Pudding as something that occasionally made an appearance at family get-togethers during my childhood: A dessert for cake and pie lovers!

Mrs. R.P.O. added, "A sprinkling of coconut may be added before the meringue is put on. For an extra fancy touch, the meringue may be garnished with orange sections -- free of membrane, of course -- rolled in granulated sugar."

Here's the adapted recipe:

Different Orange Pudding

1 (9-inch round or 10-inch loaf) yellow cake, unfrosted

For sauce:
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup flour
Grated rind of 1 orange
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup cold water
1-1/2 cups boiling water
Juice of 2 oranges and 1 lemon
3 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup shredded coconut (optional)
Orange sections (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Butter a large shallow glass or eathernware baking dish (10- by 10-inch or 9 by 13-inch preferably).

Break cake into pieces into the prepared dish. Set aside.

Prepare sauce. In the top of a large double boiler over water, mix 1-1/2 cups sugar, flour, grated orange rind and salt. Add the cold water and stir until smooth. Pour in the boiling water, stirring constantly until smooth and starting to thicken.

On medium heat, let the sauce cook over hot water, stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes, until pudding consistency. Stir in orange and lemon juices 

Beat egg yolks, saving the whites for the meringue. Stir egg yolks into the sauce and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often.

Meanwhile, beat the egg whites with 6 tablespoons of sugar until stiff.

Pour hot sauce over the cake pieces. Sprinkle coconut over the top. Spread the egg white meringue over the pudding, allowing for a little space around the edges.

In preheated 325-degree oven, bake until golden, about 20 minutes

.
Serve warm or room temperature, with or without whipped cream.

Serves 10 to 12 generously.

Garnished with sugared orange pieces,
Different Orange Pudding truly is different. 

A layer of coconut is a special addition to the pudding.