Sticky Toffee Pudding
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This luscious Sticky Toffee Pudding is super moist and delicious. Rich and sweet from the plump dates, these puddings are drenched in a dark, rich, sticky toffee sauce. This is my take on a classic British dessert that’s the perfect finisher for any meal.
Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe
One of my favorite desserts to order at a restaurant are always these sticky toffee puddings. They’re sweet, rich, usually served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream then drizzled with lots of that sticky toffee sauce. What’s not to love?
It’s such a simple cake to make right at home and out of all the sticky toffee puddings I’ve tried, and I’ve tried many, I must say my version is the best. I may be biased, but I have made this cake many times and I think I got it just right.
This sticky toffee pudding really is pure comfort in a bowl. You will want to eat this warm and you want to make sure you let that sauce slowly drip and soak into the cake for a bit or drizzle it over a scoop of ice cream and watch the ice cream slowly melt and turn into a pool of yumminess.
Sticky Toffee Pudding Highlights
- Rich, Moist And Sweet. This sticky toffee pudding has it all. Make it even richer by poking holes in the cake and drizzling some sauce over it, then let the cake soak all that goodness.
- Deliciously Balanced. Each bite of this pudding is a delicious combination of sweet, creamy and the perfect texture. The warm sauce over the cold ice cream and tasty cake, is a dream come true.
- The Perfect Dessert For Any Time Of The Year. You don’t need a special occasion to make this dessert, it’s quite easy to make so go ahead and enjoy it for dinner parties, holidays, birthdays, or simply just because.
Cake
- Dates – The base of this recipe is a date cake. Dates add sweetness and a soft, chewy texture to this dish and must be pitted before incorporated.
- Water – Water will be used to cook with the dates till they’re soft, dry dates fresh from the package won’t blend properly.
- Butter – Be sure it’s unsalted as we want to control the amount of salt in this dessert.
- Brown sugar – Brown sugar is best as it’ll give the pudding a depth of flavor with molasses and caramel notes. If white sugar is all you have on hand that will work just fine as we will be adding molasses later.
- Eggs – The binding agent in this dessert.
- Golden syrup – Also known as light treacle, golden syrup has a toasty note that lends itself well to rich cakes. It can be found in the baking aisle.
- Molasses – If you have a carton of this hanging around in your cupboard after making my Gingerbread Loaf, this recipe is the perfect way to use the rest of it up. A cup of molasses converts to ¾ cup of packed brown sugar, so that substitution is available if you don’t have molasses on hand.
- Flour – I used all purpose flour for this dessert.
- Baking soda – The leavening agent in this dessert that will give volume to your cake.
- Baking powder – As this recipe is so rich we need some extra leavening, make sure your baking powder is fresh.
- Salt – Be sure to include the salt in this recipe to balance out all the sweet flavors being included.
Sauce
- Butter – You can actually use salted butter here since we’re not adding any additional salt, if you only have unsalted butter, go ahead and add a pinch of salt to the sauce.
- Brown sugar – We will melt down the butter with brown sugar to give our syrupy sauce a base.
- Golden syrup – Golden syrup will carry those toasty notes from our cake through to our sauce.
- Molasses – Our last sweet addition, those molasses notes will help create a cohesive dish.
- Whipping cream – We want a high fat content for the cream we use so that our toffee sauce is rich and buttery. You can also use heavy cream.
Cake
- Prepare your oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F degrees and generously spray an 8×8-inch square cake pan. A Bundt pan will work just fine if that’s all you have on hand.
- Prepare the wet ingredients. First start by cooking the dates with water until they soften, you’ll do this by bringing the two to a boil in a saucepan. Allow the date mixture to cool somewhat before adding them to a food processor or blender and pulsing till it’s smooth. In a separate bowl whisk the melted butter with the brown sugar until combined, incorporate the eggs and whisk once more gently. Finally whisk in the date mixture, molasses, and golden syrup until smooth.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Prepare the cake. Whisk just half the flour mixture into your wet ingredients and whisk until fully incorporated, then add the rest and mix till smooth. This can also be done using a stand mixer or hand mixer. Ensure there are no lumps in your batter. Transfer your batter to the prepared cake pan and bake for 35 minutes or until done.
Sticky Toffee Sauce
- Make the sauce. While the cake is baking add brown sugar, butter, molasses, and golden syrup to a sauce pan. Stir constantly as the butter melts. Cook until everything is fully incorporated, then whisk in the whipping cream.
- Finish the sticky toffee pudding. While the cake is still warm, remove from the cake pan and cut into 9 squares. Pour lots of sauce over top and serve.
What Is Sticky Toffee Pudding?
Sticky Toffee Pudding is a British dessert that’s so comforting and satisfying. It’s a very moist sponge cake made with sweet, soft dates and covered in a sticky toffee sauce. It’s been on the dessert lists of many restaurants, and it’s one of my favorite desserts to order. But now you can make it right at home. At least that way you can lick the plate clean, I promise not to judge, seeing as I’ll probably be doing the same thing.
Expert Tips
- Have fun with garnishes, I love to dollop some vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream on top myself but chopped pecans, walnuts are also great.
- Golden syrup is sometimes used by vegans as a substitute for honey so if you don’t have any syrup on hand, honey can easily be used in its place. Corn syrup is also a good replacement.
- For a saucier bite, poke holes in your cake and pour some of the sauce over top, allow it to absorb and slice up to serve, with extra sauce on top of course.
- You can also bake this cake in a muffin pan or ramekins for individual portions.
Storing Your Cake
Be sure the cake is fully cooled before storing. Sealed in an airtight container this recipe will last 5 to 6 days. Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, this cake recipe will last up to 3 months in the freezer. Be sure to defrost fully when ready to eat and warm in an oven turned on low for 15 minutes. The sauce can be made in advance in stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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Sticky Toffee Pudding
Video
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup dates (pitted)
- 1 cup water
- 4 tablespoon butter (unsalted, melted)
- ¾ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoon golden syrup
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Sauce
- 8 tablespoon butter (unsalted)
- ½ cup brown sugar (packed)
- ¼ cup golden syrup
- ½ cup molasses
- ¾ cup whipping cream
Optional Toppings
- whipped cream
- ice cream
- chopped walnuts or pecans
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Prep the oven and pan. Preheat your oven to 350°F degrees. Generously spray a 8×8 inch square cake pan with cooking spray; set aside.
- Prepare the dates. Add the date and water to a medium saucepan then bring the mixture to a boil. You will notice the dates soften. Allow them to cool for about a minute then add the entire thing to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
- Combine the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk together the melted butter with the brown sugar until well combined. Add the eggs and whisk until light. Whisk in the golden syrup, molasses and date mixture. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In another bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients together. Add half of the flour mixture to the date mixture and whisk it until fully incorporated then add the rest of the flour and mix it well. Alternatively, this could all be done with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer.
- Bake. Pour the the cake batter to the prepared baking pan and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 35 minutes or until done. Insert a toothpick in the center of the cake and if it comes out clean, it's done.
- Make the sauce. While the cake is baking, make the sauce. In a medium saucepan, add the butter, brown sugar, golden syrup, molasses and stir well. Cook until the butter has melted and everything is fully incorporated. Whisk in the whipping cream.
- Cut the cake and serve. While the cake is still warm remove it from the cake pan and cut into 9 squares. Serve the cake warm and pour the sticky toffee sauce over it. Serve it with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and/or chopped pecans or walnuts.
Notes
- Have fun with garnishes, I love to dollop some vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream on top myself but chopped pecans, walnuts are also great.
- Golden syrup is sometimes used by vegans as a substitute for honey so if you don’t have any syrup on hand, honey can easily be used in its place. Corn syrup is also a good replacement.
- For a saucier bite, poke holes in your cake and pour some of the sauce over top, allow it to absorb and slice up to serve, with extra sauce on top of course.
- You can also bake this cake in a muffin pan or ramekins for individual portions.
- Golden syrup or light treacle is a thick, amber-color syrup produced by the sugar cane refining process. You can usually find it in the baking aisle in your local grocery store. If you cannot find it, a good substitute would be corn syrup.
- Storing: Be sure the cake is fully cooled before storing. Sealed in an airtight container this recipe will last 5 to 6 days. Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, this sticky toffee pudding recipe will last up to 3 months. Be sure to defrost fully when ready to eat and warm in an oven turned on low for 15 minutes. The sauce can be made in advance in stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
The cake was good but the sauce was overwhelmingly molasses tasting when it should have tasted like Toffee( sugar butter cream). We have had this desert dozens of times in GB and it never tasted of molasses. I still have 4 pieces left hand will try a different sauce.
I’m sorry to hear that the sauce didn’t meet your expectations, especially since you’re familiar with the traditional British version of this dessert. Sticky toffee pudding does often feature a sauce that’s rich in butter, sugar, and cream, and I apologize if the molasses flavor was too overpowering in my recipe. Your feedback is valuable, and I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. I hope the cake itself was enjoyable, and I’m glad you’re willing to try it with a different sauce.
I knew nothing about molasses, but researched it recently. This is what I found…
For baking, you usually want to use dark, unsulfured molasses.
There are three major types of molasses, which are Light, Dark (or Medium), and Blackstrap. They do not substitute well for each other. NEVER substitute blackstrap molasses in a recipe. Besides the three main types, each can be found either sulfured or unsulfured.
• Light Molasses: “SYRUP”. It has the lightest color, the most sugar, the least flavor, and is the thinnest. Good for pancake syrup or to sweeten drinks.
• Dark or Medium Molasses: This molasses is darker and thicker and contains less sugar. Used for baking and most other uses.
• Blackstrap Molasses: “The Dregs”. This has the least amount of sugar but has the most vitamins and minerals. It has a very dark color, is extremely thick, and has a deep, spicy, BITTER flavor. NEVER for baking – ok to use in meats/livestock feed.
Unsulfured molasses (regular) is richer, thicker, and sweeter than sulfured. It is made with more mature sugarcane and fewer preservatives.
Sulfured molasses have sulfur dioxide added to younger sugarcane. Sulfur acts as a preservative, but it leaches the sweetness and can leave a faint chemical-like aftertaste that can alter the flavor of the recipe.
Tip: Since molasses is so thick and sticky, spray your measuring cup or spoon with cooking spray, or run it under hot water first. The syrup should pour out easily.
I can attest to the fact that this is an extremely delicious desert. My mother in law used to make it back in the day and called it date pudding. I would be able to be trusted with the best brownies or the best chocolate cake before I could be trusted with this pudding. I love it so much. I have your books now Jo and am enjoying perusing them immensely and also enjoy receiving your email blasts you send out!!
Thank you, Lorena! I appreciate your comment. 🙂
Could you please recommend a replacement to the corn syrup or golden syrup? Can I use maple syrup or brown sugar? Thank you
Yep! You can use either of the two.
Thank you for your quick response! Can’t wait to try this recipe.
I love this recipe, thank you! I’ve just made it and the cake itself came out of the oven sunken in the middle. Any idea why that’s happened? Or if it will still be okay to eat? Thank you again!
There are a couple reasons for this, you either opened the door while the cake was baking or didn’t put the batter in the oven as soon as it was ready.
Would you consider this kid friendly? My toddler already thinks dark gingerbread is strong tasting….so how does the molasses play out in this cake? Thankyou! Love your recipes!
I think it’s kid friendly, it is very fragrant and caramel-y, sweet and rich. The molasses is what makes the cake more moist and gives a chewier texture.
Awesome! Sounds delish! Will give it a go 🙂 I am certain it will not disappoint!
This recipe sounds Sooo good! Really happy that it’s in cups and tsp, can’t wait to make it next week 😀 so is the brown sugar muscovado sugar? Or just normal brown sugar? I presume it’s muscovado sugar as it’s got a caramel like taste to it
Hope to hear back soon 🙂
It’s just normal brown sugar, I used dark!
My husband is a full blown Scott and grew up with this pudding. He said this is the best one he ever tasted! I love the mixture of the molasses and golden syrup that gives it a richer taste!!!
That’s a wonderful compliment! We’re glad you both loved it.
Jo
My good lady and I polished off a sticky toffee pud just minutes ago that we bought over the weekend in Northwich.
We are both foodies, the good lady also being an exceptional cook. She and I are huge officionados of sticky puds, having them as desserts wherever we travel.
We are both in agreement that this was by a distance the best we have tasted.
It was light, tasty, everything one could hope for!!
Congratulations and thanks, it was awesome!!
I’m not one generally for leaving comments, but this was SOOO worth it.
Tony and Lesley ( Northwich)
Thanks, Tony! I really appreciate you letting me know you and Lesley enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
Did you actually use blackstrap molasses in this cake? Or true molasses?
You can use whatever molasses you have.
I tried Sticky toffee pudding once and I like it, it’s great that I could try it at home from now on. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
My pleasure, you’ll love it!
Rich and decadent! Dates and the toffee topping are an impressive combination!! Serve to guests and they will ask for the recipe, and smile all the way home. B Karr
This sounds SO GOOD! Do you have a homemade replacement for the Golden Syrup? Is not available everywhere
A substitute is mentioned in the recipe notes.
OMG This looks heavenly. Sticky toffee pudding literally is my favorite dessert but I’ve never made it at home and your recipe looks so easy. Thanks for sharing another great recipe!