Best Dessert Ever!!!!---- Gaspé Pudding!!!!! (Will add a picture soon)

I want to share with you the most irresistible dessert you will ever eat...it is filled with decadence and luxury but making it doesn't break the bank. It comes to you courtesy of my Mama. She makes this in the spring time and when I made it after our trip down east, Mr. Man said something along the lines that he didn't know I could make something this good....I am assuming he meant other than my cheesecake (share that with you later....along with the Peanut Butter Cake and Icing).

Gaspé Pudding (not really pudding it is really a cake)

Cake:

1 1/2 c. sugar 2 eggs (*I used XL)

1 can (14 oz.) fruit cocktail & juice 1 tsp. vanilla 

2 1/2 c. flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

pinch of salt

Toppings: (set aside)

3/4 c. walnuts, chopped 3/4 c. sweetened coconut, shredded/flaked

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour pan
2. Beat eggs and sugar. 
3. Add juice from fruit cocktail, vanilla then flour with soda & salt
4. Mix well. If seems thick add more juice or water (if you don't have any juice left) until runny (cake consistency).    ***I used a 28 oz can of fruit cocktail and used 3/4 of fruit and all of the juice.
5. Fold in fruit. 
6. Pour batter into 9 X 13 or  two 8 X 8 pans
7. Sprinkle toppings (walnuts & coconut)
8. Bake for 30 mins at 350 degrees, decrease temperature of oven to 325 degrees for an additional 15 mins. Test centre with toothpick. ***My batter was a little thick and I had to cook about 20 mins more to be sure the centre was cooked.
9. Can be served hot or cold with sauce below
10. Don't be alarmed it the cake looks dark, it is the nature of the batter to darken a lot, it is still moist inside.
11. Optional: I used dark brown sugar instead of white sugar, didn't have enough to make cake, it actually tasted better and brought out the taste of the fruit. Adds to the cake's decadence. :)

Sauce:

1 1/2 c. margarine/ butter, room temperature 1 1/2 can (18 oz.) Carnation evaporated milk

3 c. brown sugar 3 tsp. vanilla 

1. Put butter, milk and sugar in medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly until it boils.
2. Reduce heat immediately to low, stir often, cook for 10 minutes. (Don't leave the sauce, can burn to the pan's bottom)
3. Add vanilla.
4. Pour hot sauce over cake (cold or warm cake, doesn't matter, sauce will create moisture to soften the cake.)
5. Refrigerate left over sauce, will separate (butter) once chilled.

Just a FUNNY note: Be sure not to leave the sauce in the same vicinity as dinner that is gravy worthy, it can be mistakenly almost used on the potatoes.

Sauce is like a homemade butterscotch sauce, would be great over ice cream too, once the cake is gone.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Sauce recipe is tripled.

Serves 18 people

Prep time: 10 minutes (cake) + 20 minutes (sauce) = 30 minutes total

Cook time: 45 minutes (cake)

Cake can be frozen, thawed and served with hot sauce over top. Can be heated with sauce on top or separately, if desired.

Sauce can be reheated on stove or microwave. 

I hope everyone enjoys this dessert... it is the best ever!!!