‘Sugar Plum Fairy’ Pudding Cake

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter bottom and sides of a glass pie pan liberally. Don’t be skimpy here or you will regret it.
2. Combine all of the brown sugar, apple cider, butter and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking occasionally. Pull off burner once it starts boiling and starting to rise. Set aside to cool – you’ll use this as your topping in a minute. Note: be careful! Do not leave this on the stove unattended, this will go from cold to boiling like mad quickly and if left it will boil over and smell like a 3rd grade science class.
3. Prepare your “buttermilk” by pouring the vinegar into a 1 cup measuring cup. Then add your milk to equal one whole cup for the recipe. Set aside to let sour for 5 minutes.
4. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl.
5. Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
6. With the mixer on medium-low speed, add a third of the flour mixture to the bowl. Add half of the buttermilk and the vanilla. Add another third of the flour, followed by the remaining milk and the rest of the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds.
7. Scrape the batter onto the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula as level as you can get it.
8. Push the dried “sugar plums” into the batter to be level.
9. Pour the topping over the batter (the pan will be very full). Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake until set, 45 minutes.
10. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, invert it onto a large rimmed serving platter and serve warm. Beware because the gooey, yummy, glazed caramel pudding will leak around the cake.
11. Let any leftover cake cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge for up to 3 days.