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Sticky Toffee Pudding (warm date cake)
5 from 15 votes

Sticky Toffee Pudding (warm date cake)

Sticky Toffee Pudding is a warm date cake made with chopped dates soaked in baking soda and boiling water, combined with a batter of brown sugar, molasses, butter, eggs, vanilla, and flour. Once baked, it is served with a rich sauce made from butter, dark brown sugar, and heavy cream. The sauce is poured over the pudding to soak into the cake, creating a moist and indulgent dessert.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British

Ingredients

For the pudding:
  • 6 oz dates roughly chopped, pitted
  • 1 cup water boiling
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • dark brown sugar packed lightly, about 1 cup
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • 2 egg large
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened, plus extra reserved for greasing the pan
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt coarse
For the sauce:
  • 1 cup heavy cream (plus more for whipped cream)
  • 6 tablespoons butter unsalted
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • cream whipped, to serve (optional)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine the boiling water, chopped dates, and baking soda in a measuring jug, stir, and leave to sit for about 20 minutes until lukewarm.
  2. Meanwhile, combine the butter, sugar and molasses in a food mixer using a paddle, then mix in the eggs, vanilla, salt, and flour until just combined. Stir in the cooled date mixture. Pour the batter into a greased baking dish - ours was 4"x6" and the pudding rose almost to the top; you could use a larger (8"x8") dish for less of a rise. Set oven timer for 30 minutes.
  3. To make the sauce, melt the butter and sugar together in a small saucepan and add the cream. Heat over a low to medium flame until the mixture reaches a boil. Simmer for up to a minute then turn off the heat. The sauce will thicken as it sits.
  4. The top of the pudding should be set but the center of the dish should still have a slight wobble to it. Using a toothpick or skewer, poke holes all over, down to the bottom of the pan, and pour in half of the toffee sauce. Let sit for 20 minutes, then broil if desired until the top is bubbly.
  5. Serve with the rest of the warmed sauce and whipped cream.