Spring Simplicity: Just 5 ingredients. My grandmother made this every May and now I understand why she never shared the recipe.

To lean sweeter and more dessert-like, increase the sugar to 1 1/4 cups; for a more restrained, brunch-appropriate sweetness, reduce it to 3/4 cup. If you prefer a richer, more custardy texture, replace 1/2 cup of the milk with heavy cream. A teaspoon of vanilla extract or finely grated lemon zest (stirred in with the milk) adds a fragrant note without adding to the ingredient count if you consider them pantry
For a slightly firmer, more cake-like result, add an extra 2 tablespoons of flour and cook toward the longer end of the time range. If your slow cooker runs hot, start checking at 2 hours to avoid overcooking; the edges should be set but not dry or browned deeply. Always use pasteurized eggs and keep the mixture refrigerated if you need to hold it before cooking.

Once cooked, do not leave the pudding cake at room temperature for more than 2 hours; cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate in shallow containers for even chilling. Reheat gently to avoid curdling—short bursts in the microwave or a covered dish in a low oven work best. For a gluten-free version, you can substitute a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend for the all-purpose flour, understanding that the texture may be slightly more delicate and custard-forward.