I present my Sticky Toffee Date Pudding, where soft brown sugar sponge cakes are soaked in molten toffee sauce and finished with a little-known tweak that lends the sauce unexpected depth.

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I have a soft spot for Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake, it’s the kind of dessert that sneakily becomes the centerpiece of any meal. I love finding the pitted dates tucked into the sponge, they melt into pockets of sweet, almost caramel like surprise and every bite makes me smile.

I usually pile a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and watch it slowly melt into the warm toffee, messy and perfect, no pretence. There are little tips I swear by to get that perfect stickiness but i’ll save them for later, for now just imagine that gooey, irresistible slice.

Ingredients

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Pitted dates are sweet and sticky, high in fibre and natural sugars very caramel like
Butter brings richness and mouthfeel mostly fat, adds smoothness and glossy finish to sauce
Brown sugar gives molasses warmth, makes it sweet and deep, not just plain sweetness
Eggs bind the pudding add protein and tenderness, they also help structure
Self raising flour lightens the cake brings carbs and holds the sponge up
Double cream makes the sauce silky and rich full of fat and flavour
Vanilla lifts sweetness rounds flavours and smells cozy, just a little goes far

Ingredient Quantities

225g pitted dates, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

250ml boiling water (1 cup)

85g unsalted butter, softened (about 6 tbsp)

100g soft brown sugar, packed (about 1/2 cup)

2 large eggs, room temperature

175g self raising flour (about 1 1/3 cups)

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

100g unsalted butter for the sauce (about 7 tbsp)

100g dark brown sugar for the sauce, packed (about 1/2 cup)

150ml double cream or heavy cream (2/3 cup)

1 tsp vanilla extract for the sauce

pinch of salt for the sauce

vanilla ice cream or pouring cream to serve, optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F (160C fan) and grease and line a 20cm square (8×8 inch) baking dish, or lightly butter 6-8 ramekins if you want individual puddings.

2. Put the 225g chopped dates and 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda in a bowl, pour over 250ml boiling water, stir and let sit for 5 minutes so they go soft and slightly mushy.

3. In a bowl, cream 85g softened unsalted butter with 100g soft brown sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in 2 large room temperature eggs one at a time, adding 1 tsp vanilla extract as you go. Don’t overmix, just get it smooth.

4. Sift 175g self raising flour and a pinch of salt into the butter mixture and fold in gently until just combined, scraping the bowl so no streaks remain.

5. Fold the soaked dates into the batter, including most of the soaking liquid (this keeps the sponge moist). The batter will be quite soft and lumpy, that’s fine.

6. Spoon the batter into your prepared dish or ramekins and level the top. Bake for about 30-35 minutes for a single dish, or 18-22 minutes for ramekins, until the top springs back and a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs.

7. While the puddings bake, make the toffee sauce: melt 100g unsalted butter and 100g dark brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stir until sugar dissolves, then pour in 150ml double cream, add 1 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of salt and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Reserve a few spoonfuls for serving.

8. When the pudding is out of the oven, poke it a few times with a skewer and pour most of the warm sauce over it so it soaks in. Let it sit for a couple minutes so the sauce sinks in and gets sticky.

9. Serve hot with the reserved sauce and vanilla ice cream or pouring cream. If you like it extra saucy, reheat puddings briefly under the grill or in the microwave and pour over more warm sauce. Enjoy, and don’t forget it’s better the next day once flavours settle.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven and a 20cm square (8×8 inch) baking dish or 6–8 ramekins, greased and lined
2. Digital kitchen scale plus measuring cups and spoons (or whatever you use to measure)
3. Two mixing bowls, one large and one medium
4. Electric hand mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon for creaming the butter (either works)
5. Fine sieve for the flour and a rubber spatula for folding and scraping the bowl
6. Small saucepan and a wooden or silicone spoon for the toffee sauce
7. Skewer or toothpick to test the pudding and a ladle or heatproof pouring jug to pour the sauce
8. Oven mitts, a cooling rack and an ice cream scoop for serving

FAQ

Q: How do I know the pudding is cooked through? A: Stick a skewer or knife in the centre, it should come out with a few moist crumbs not wet batter. The top should spring back slightly when you press it, and the edges will pull away from the tin a bit. If it feels very jiggly, give it another 5-10 minutes.

Q: My middle was soggy even though the top looked done, what went wrong? A: Usually it's underbaked or the tin was too deep so heat didn't reach the centre. Also don't pour all the sauce over while it's piping hot, let the cakes sit 5-10 mins so they absorb less. If it still seems wet, bake longer at a lower temp until set.

Q: Can I make this ahead or freeze it? A: Yes. Make the sponge and sauce ahead, store separately in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat sponge in a 160C / 325F oven until warm, heat the sauce gently. For freezing, freeze cooled individual portions or the whole baked tray, thaw overnight and warm through. Sauce freezes fine too.

Q: Any quick fixes if the toffee sauce is grainy or splits? A: Grainy usually means sugar didn't dissolve, just simmer gently and stir until smooth. If it looks split or oily, whisk in a tablespoon of hot cream or use a stick blender to bring it back together, then warm gently. Don't boil the cream hard.

Q: Can I swap ingredients or make it vegan? A: Yep. Self raising flour can be made from plain flour plus 2 tsp baking powder per 175g. For vegan: use vegan butter, replace 2 eggs with flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp water), and use coconut cream or a plant cream for the sauce. Dates and sugar stay the same for that classic sticky taste.

Q: Any tips to make it extra sticky and flavorful? A: Chop the dates small and pour the boiling water over with the bicarbonate, let it sit 10 mins so they go super soft. Don't overmix the batter, fold gently. For a deeper flavour stir a splash of espresso, rum or bourbon into the sauce. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or pouring cream, it's unbeatable.

Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Dates: use chopped prunes or raisins, same weight. They plump up when you pour on the 250ml boiling water, so it works the same, just expect a slightly different flavour.
Self raising flour (175g): use 175g plain/all purpose flour plus about 2 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt, sieve together and fold in like normal.
Unsalted butter (batter or sauce): swap for equal weight of solid coconut oil or a vegan block margarine, but if it’s salted margarine reduce any extra salt in the recipe.
Double cream (150ml): substitute with 150ml full fat coconut milk for a dairy free version, or use 150ml evaporated milk for a lighter, less rich sauce, flavour will change slightly.

Pro Tips

1) Soak and mash the dates well, dont just leave them soft. If you want a silkier sponge, blitz a few seconds in a food processor or mash really well and fold in the extra soaking liquid bit by bit so the batter isnt too runny. The bicarbonate helps break them down, so use that soaking liquid, but taste it first cuz it can be very sweet.

2) Use properly room temp butter and eggs, they mix easier and give a lighter cake, but once the flour goes in stop beating and fold gently, otherwise the sponge gets tough. If the batter looks too stiff after folding in the dates, add a tablespoon or two of the reserved date liquid or a splash of cream to relax it.

3) For even baking, dont overfill ramekins and rotate the dish halfway through if your oven has hot spots, also test with a skewer earlier than you think. Let the pudding rest a few minutes after baking before dousing in sauce so it soaks evenly instead of running straight off.

4) Make the toffee sauce low and slow, dont blast the cream with high heat or it can split, and always taste for salt, a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt makes the flavors pop. If the sauce is too thin, simmer a bit longer, if too thick add a splash of cream, and reheat gently when serving so it stays glossy.

Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe

Recipe by Bob Jones

0.0 from 0 votes

I present my Sticky Toffee Date Pudding, where soft brown sugar sponge cakes are soaked in molten toffee sauce and finished with a little-known tweak that lends the sauce unexpected depth.

Servings

servings

Calories

503

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven and a 20cm square (8×8 inch) baking dish or 6–8 ramekins, greased and lined
2. Digital kitchen scale plus measuring cups and spoons (or whatever you use to measure)
3. Two mixing bowls, one large and one medium
4. Electric hand mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon for creaming the butter (either works)
5. Fine sieve for the flour and a rubber spatula for folding and scraping the bowl
6. Small saucepan and a wooden or silicone spoon for the toffee sauce
7. Skewer or toothpick to test the pudding and a ladle or heatproof pouring jug to pour the sauce
8. Oven mitts, a cooling rack and an ice cream scoop for serving

Ingredients

225g pitted dates, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
250ml boiling water (1 cup)
85g unsalted butter, softened (about 6 tbsp)
100g soft brown sugar, packed (about 1/2 cup)
2 large eggs, room temperature
175g self raising flour (about 1 1/3 cups)
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
100g unsalted butter for the sauce (about 7 tbsp)
100g dark brown sugar for the sauce, packed (about 1/2 cup)
150ml double cream or heavy cream (2/3 cup)
1 tsp vanilla extract for the sauce
pinch of salt for the sauce
vanilla ice cream or pouring cream to serve, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F (160C fan) and grease and line a 20cm square (8×8 inch) baking dish, or lightly butter 6-8 ramekins if you want individual puddings.
Put the 225g chopped dates and 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda in a bowl, pour over 250ml boiling water, stir and let sit for 5 minutes so they go soft and slightly mushy.
In a bowl, cream 85g softened unsalted butter with 100g soft brown sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in 2 large room temperature eggs one at a time, adding 1 tsp vanilla extract as you go. Don’t overmix, just get it smooth.
Sift 175g self raising flour and a pinch of salt into the butter mixture and fold in gently until just combined, scraping the bowl so no streaks remain.
Fold the soaked dates into the batter, including most of the soaking liquid (this keeps the sponge moist). The batter will be quite soft and lumpy, that’s fine.
Spoon the batter into your prepared dish or ramekins and level the top. Bake for about 30-35 minutes for a single dish, or 18-22 minutes for ramekins, until the top springs back and a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs.
While the puddings bake, make the toffee sauce: melt 100g unsalted butter and 100g dark brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stir until sugar dissolves, then pour in 150ml double cream, add 1 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of salt and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Reserve a few spoonfuls for serving.
When the pudding is out of the oven, poke it a few times with a skewer and pour most of the warm sauce over it so it soaks in. Let it sit for a couple minutes so the sauce sinks in and gets sticky.
Serve hot with the reserved sauce and vanilla ice cream or pouring cream. If you like it extra saucy, reheat puddings briefly under the grill or in the microwave and pour over more warm sauce. Enjoy, and don’t forget it’s better the next day once flavours settle.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.