Cozy, Caramel-Drenched Sticky Toffee Pudding
If I had to pick just one dessert to enjoy for the rest of my life, hands down it would be sticky toffee pudding. If you’ve never tried it before, imagine a warm, utterly melt-in-your-mouth brown sugar sponge cake that is absolutely drenched in homemade toffee sauce. Even just writing these words has my mouth watering! 😩 The secret to its moist, luscious texture? Dates! They basically dissolve into the batter and add a naturally sweet taste and rich depth of flavor without being too sweet.
Let me start by saying it took years of testing (lots of trials, lots of errors!) to get this classic British dessert up to my standards. Essentially, I was trying to replicate the sticky date pudding I love so much from The Cottage, our favorite restaurant back when we lived in CT. Enough romanticizing the past — let’s jump straight into some of my best tips!
My Biggest Takeaways From Recipe Testing
- Be patient and let the dates soak. Give them the full 15-20 minutes to soften. This helps with tip #2. 😉
- I strongly prefer to blend the dates. I’ve tried leaving them chopped into small pieces and it really ruins the texture for me (sorry! personal preference!). After soaking, purée them until smooth. It should resemble thick applesauce.
- An overbaked toffee pudding cake is not nearly as delicious. It should be tender and just set in the middle to maintain it’s melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- And perhaps most importantly… warm the sauce before serving!
You Can Make The Date Purée Ahead of Time
I think it blends into the batter a bit more easily when it’s warm, but you can always reheat it slightly before folding it in with the rest of the ingredients.
I’m Using A Stand Mixer, But A Hand Mixer Is Just Fine
Helpful tip: if you’d rather make individual portions (like for an elegant dinner party?!), simply divide the batter into 10 (or up to 12) greased ramekins, then bake for 20-25 minutes. Easy!
This date pudding is show-stopping enough for a dinner party, but cozy enough for Sunday supper — especially around the holidays.
If you’re making a roast at home (you know, with earth shatteringly crispy roasted potatoes and Yorkshire pudding) — or really any classic British food — this is the dessert to end your meal with!
Warm, spongy cake soaked in buttery toffee sauce? If this isn’t heaven on a plate, I don’t know what is! Please, please give this one a try! It’ll become your forever favorite. And as always, I’d love if you left a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review and rating below. It’s super helpful to get your feedback. Enjoy!
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Warm Sticky Toffee Pudding with Buttery Toffee Sauce
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1¼ cups (175g) medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped
- ⅔ cup (155ml) water, boiling
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 6 Tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅔ cup (175g) dark brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup (85g) treacle or molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240g) cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup (120ml) cream or milk
For the Sticky Toffee Sauce
- 11 Tbsp (150g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 cup (237ml) double cream or heavy whipping cream
- ⅔ cup (150g) dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 Tbsp (20g) treacle or molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of flaky sea salt
For Serving
- Vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Soak the dates. Preheat an oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a baking dish with nonstick baking spray or butter. Place 175g chopped dates in a large bowl, pour ⅔ cup boiling water on top, then stir in 1 tsp baking soda. Allow this to sit for 15-20 minutes. Move onto remaining steps, then purée in a blender or food processor (with the soaking liquid) until very smooth; the mixture will be thick. This can also be done in advance.
- Prepare the cake batter. Place 85g room temperature butter and 175g dark brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, then beat on medium speed until pale, light, and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add 3 large eggs, 85g treacle or molasses, and 1 tsp vanilla bean paste. Start the mixer on low so you don’t make a mess, then gradually increase the speed to medium and mix for another 1-2 minutes, scraping the sides as needed. Add 240g cake flour and 1 tsp baking powder, then mix until just combined.
- Add the date purée. To the batter, add the puréed dates along with 120ml cream. Mix slowly until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Transfer to the prepared baking dish, then use the spatula to smooth the top into a flat, even layer. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The edges will be more cooked, the cake will take on a deep golden brown, and the center will puff up. Cool for about 5 minutes, then serve warm. While the cake is baking, make the toffee sauce.Note: if using a larger 9×13 or 10×13-inch baking dish, the cake should be ready closer to 30 minutes.
- Make the sauce. Add all sticky toffee sauce ingredients to a saucepan set over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil (this takes about 2-3 minutes), then continue cooking until the sauce thickens and turns a golden caramel color, about 1-2 minutes more.
- Drench in sauce, then serve! Pour about half of the sauce on top of the cake, then serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and an extra drizzle of toffee sauce. Homemade whipped cream or a drizzle of heavy cream work great here as well. Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition facts do not include ice cream.
- Treacle is similar to what molasses is in the US. You can also use light treacle (known as golden syrup).
- To make individual portions, divide between ~10 small ramekins and bake for 20-23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. You could stretch this to 12 servings as it’s incredibly rich!
- Store leftovers for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. I recommend keeping extra toffee sauce separate.
- Reheat: Microwave individual portions for 30-45 seconds, or warm in a 300°F (149°C) oven, covered with foil, until heated through. The sauce can be heated on a stovetop or in the microwave.
- The baked pudding can be frozen (without sauce) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in a fridge, then serve warm with freshly made sauce.
Nutrition
Photography by Megan McKeehan.
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