This sticky toffee pudding is a classic, delicious dessert made with dates and served with a drizzle of toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream. Perfect for any special occasion or cozy night in.
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Ingredients You Will Need
Flour: Use all-purpose flour to make this sticky toffee pudding.
Baking Powder
Salt
Dates: These naturally sweet fruits are the foundation of the pudding, providing both sweetness and moisture. When soaked and blended, they create a smooth paste that gives the cake its signature texture.
Butter and Sugar: The combination of unsalted butter with both white and light brown sugar gives the cake a rich flavor and moist texture. You can replace white sugar with dark brown sugar if desired.
Vegetable Oil: Use any odorless vegetable oil such as canola or sunflower seed oil. If you prefer not to use vegetable oil, replace it with additional unsalted butter (for a total of 65g).
Eggs: Bring the eggs to room temperature before using them.
Vanilla Extract: Adds a warm, aromatic note that enhances the overall flavor of the pudding.
Butterscotch Sauce: While optional, this Butterscotch sauce (a half batch works well for this recipe) takes the dessert to the next level, adding a buttery, caramel-like sweetness that's hard to resist.
Tips for Perfect Sticky Toffee Pudding
Don't Overmix: To ensure your pudding stays light and fluffy, mix the batter just until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Use Room-Temperature Ingredients: This helps the butter and sugars cream together more effectively, creating a better texture.
Serve Warm: Sticky Toffee Pudding is best enjoyed warm, with the toffee sauce melting into the cake for that perfect gooey experience.
How to Make Sticky Toffee Pudding
Make the Butterscotch Sauce: In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mixture darkens and the bubbles become larger and less rapid. Stir in the vanilla extract and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before serving.
Prep and Preheat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch by 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, ensuring there's enough overhang to lift the cake out after baking.
Cook and Blend the Dates: In a saucepan, combine the chopped dates and water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let the dates soak for 10 minutes. After soaking, blend the mixture until it turns into a thick paste.
Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat together room-temperature butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until fluffy. Add vegetable oil and continue to beat until well combined. Then, add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Finally, mix in the prepared date paste until well incorporated.
Add the Dry Ingredients and Bake: Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into the wet mixture. Gently mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool and Serve: Let the pudding cool in the pan for 10 minutes before lifting it out. Cut into squares and serve warm, topped with Vanilla bean ice cream or Condensed milk ice cream, a drizzle of butterscotch sauce, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt if desired. You can also serve this pudding with a dollop of whipped cream.
Flavor Variations
While traditional sticky toffee pudding is a treat on its own, you can experiment with different flavors
Spices: Add a teaspoon of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger to the batter for a cozy, autumnal twist.
Chocolate: Mix in a handful of dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips for a rich, chocolatey variation.
Coffee Infusion: Stir a teaspoon of instant coffee or espresso powder into the date and water mixture, ensuring all coffee granules are dissolved.
Molasses: Incorporate a tablespoon or two of molasses into the batter before baking. It adds a rich, dark sweetness that enhances the toffee notes and gives the pudding a more intense flavor.
Looking for more easy and delicious dessert recipes? Check out these Butterscotch cookies, this Apple crumb cake, or this decadent Castella cake.
FAQ
Store the pudding and sauce in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat both in the microwave until warm before serving.
Yes, freeze the pudding wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat before serving. The sauce can also be frozen separately for up to 2 months and reheated in the microwave until runny again.
Yes, you can use other dried fruits like figs, plums, or apricots. Just blend them into a smooth paste to achieve a similar texture.
Recipe card
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Equipment
- Digital kitchen scale
- Saucepan
- Mixing bowl
- Hand mixer
- Immersion blender or a blender / food processor
- 8" by 8" (20cm by 20cm) brownie pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 200 g dates pitted and chopped
- 160 ml water
- 180 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 50 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 15 g vegetable oil
- 60 g white granulated sugar
- 60 g light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
Toffee Sauce
- 100 g brown sugar
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 150 ml heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
For the Toffee Sauce
- In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mixture darkens and the bubbles become larger and less rapid.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before serving.
For the Pudding
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch by 8-inch (20cm by 20cm) square pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang to lift the cake out after baking. Alternatively, you can use a 9-inch (23cm) round pan.
- In a saucepan, combine the dates and water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Let the dates soak in the hot water for 10 minutes. After soaking, transfer the mixture to a blender, food processor, or use an immersion blender to blend until it resembles a thick paste. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat with a hand mixer until fully combined and fluffy. Add the oil and beat until incorporated.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add the date paste to the mixture and beat until well combined.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into the wet mixture. Mix until just combined and no dry ingredients are visible.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the pudding from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, lift it out of the pan and allow it to cool until just warm.
- Cut into 9 squares and serve with vanilla ice cream, butterscotch sauce, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, if desired.
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