Family Recipes - Caramel Raisin Pudding

A favorite dessert for my family when I was young was Caramel Raisin Pudding. However, the only person in my immediate family that liked raisins was my dad. So, Mom always made caramel raisin pudding without raisins.

Interestingly, all of my siblings like to make Caramel Raisin Pudding. We all still call it Caramel Raisin Pudding. However, we almost never put raisins in Caramel Raisin Pudding. I think the only time we add raisins is if Dad happens to be visiting and we want to make something special for him. 

My children usually call it Caramel Raisin-less Pudding. 

Maybe we should start calling it Caramel Pudding!

Here is the recipe. 

CARAMEL RAISIN PUDDING

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup raisins (optional or when Grandpa Bryce visits)

Mix together and place in a casserole dish. Stir together 1 cup brown sugar and 2 cups of cold water. After sugar dissolves, pour over batter. Add bits of butter and bake for 1 hour at 350. 

My Personal Recommendations and Variations

1. I do not think the recipe provides enough of the brown sugar "syrup". So, I use 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar and 3 cups of cold water. 
2. The best way to eat Caramel Raisin Pudding is while it is still warm and with Vanilla ice cream. I like to add a scoop of ice cream and then spoon the caramel syrup over the top of the ice cream. 
3. If you do not have ice cream on hand, I think the next best substitute is to pour fresh cream over the pudding. 
4. If you do not have ice cream or cream, I recommend pouring a little milk over the top. 
5. I recently began experimenting with the recipe and added 1/4 tsp cinnamon to the batter and 1/4 tsp cinnamon to the brown sugar syrup. This gave the final product a cinnamon-roll-like taste.