Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Medjool dates: Use pitted dates, or remove the pits before chopping. See the date tips below.
• Boiling water: Softens the dates before they go into the batter. Keep all the soaking liquid.
• Baking soda and baking powder: You’ll use both, with the baking soda in the date mixture and the baking powder in the flour mixture.
• Butter: Soften the butter for the cake so it creams easily with the sugars. You’ll also need butter for the sauce.
• Dark brown sugar and granulated sugar: Both go into the cake, giving it sweetness and a deeper brown sugar flavor.
• Molasses: Adds depth to the cake’s flavor alongside the dates and dark brown sugar.
• Eggs: Mix them into the creamed butter and sugars one at a time.
• Flour: Measure carefully so the cake stays soft rather than heavy.
• Vanilla extract and salt: Both go into the cake and the sauce.
• Brown sugar and heavy whipping cream: Combine with butter for the homemade toffee sauce. Use heavy cream for the intended consistency.

Ingredient Additions and Substitutions

• Light brown sugar: Dark brown sugar gives the cake a deeper molasses flavor. Light brown sugar can be used if that’s what you have, with a slightly milder result.
• Ice cream or whipped cream: Either works for serving. Vanilla ice cream melts into the warm sauce, while whipped cream makes a lighter topping.
• Dates: Stick with Medjool dates for the texture this recipe was developed around. Leaving them out would change both the moisture and structure of the cake.

How to Make Sticky Toffee Pudding

1. Soak the dates. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Finely chop the pitted dates and combine them with baking soda, vanilla, and boiling water. Let them soak for 15 to 20 minutes without draining.

2. Cream the butter and sugars. While the dates soak, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, and molasses together. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.

3. Finish the batter. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl, then mix into the butter mixture on low speed. Mash or puree the soaked dates with their liquid and mix them into the batter.

4. Bake the cake. Spread the batter in a greased 9×13 cake pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

5. Make the toffee sauce. While the cake bakes, bring the brown sugar and butter to a simmer in a heavy saucepan, whisking until combined. Add the cream, return to a simmer, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.

6. Add the sauce and serve. Poke holes about halfway down into the warm cake with the small end of a chopstick. Spoon half the sauce over the top and let it soak in. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream and the remaining sauce.

Dates to Use

• Use Medjool dates for this recipe. They’re soft and meaty, and they mash easily after soaking. Look for plump dates that feel soft rather than hard and dried out.
• Check the produce section of your grocery store first. I’ve found them at Albertsons and Fred Meyer, though availability varies by location.
• If your dates still have pits, slice them open and remove the pits before weighing and chopping. Even with packaged pitted dates, check for any remaining pit pieces.
• Finely chop the dates, then soak them with the boiling water, baking soda, and vanilla for 15 to 20 minutes. Mash the softened mixture with a fork until it looks like jam, or use a food processor for a smoother texture. Don’t drain it, the soaking water is part of the batter.

Individual Puddings

1. For individual servings, divide the batter among 6 to 8 greased, oven-safe ramekins, depending on their size. Leave room for the cakes to rise.
2. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, checking at 15 minutes. The centers should be set and a toothpick should come out clean. Larger or deeper ramekins may need additional time.
3. Poke holes halfway into each cake and spoon some of the sauce over the top. Serve directly in the ramekins with the remaining sauce and your choice of topping.

Recipe Tips

• Measure the flour lightly. Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off rather than packing it down.
• Stop mixing once the batter is combined. Extra beating after adding the flour can make the cake less tender.
• Check the center of the cake. A browned top doesn’t necessarily mean the middle has finished baking.
• Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer. It should be slightly thickened but still pourable, and it will thicken more as it cools.
• Save half the sauce for serving. The first portion soaks into the cake, while the second gives each serving that warm, saucy finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Make Ahead and Storage

Make ahead: Bake the cake and prepare the sauce a day ahead. Refrigerate them separately in covered containers, then reheat before adding the sauce and serving.

Storing: Cover and refrigerate leftover cake and sauce within 2 hours. Use within 3 to 4 days. Cake that already has sauce poured over it can be stored that way.

Reheating: Warm individual portions in the microwave in short intervals until heated through. Reheat the reserved sauce gently in a saucepan, stirring until smooth and pourable.

Freezing: Wrap cooled cake portions tightly and freeze in an airtight container. Freeze the sauce separately. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating, and stir the warmed sauce to bring it back together.

Pairing Ideas

Serve warm with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream or Whipped Cream, then spoon the extra toffee sauce over the top. The cold ice cream and warm cake are especially good together, and neither topping needs to be complicated.

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