Description
This classic Sticky Toffee Pudding is a rich and moist dessert featuring pitted Medjool dates in a spongy self-rising flour cake, drenched in a warm, buttery toffee sauce. Perfect for indulging in a comforting sweet treat, it’s best served warm with optional crème fraîche or ice cream for an extra decadent finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 cup pitted Medjool dates, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup lightly salted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour, plus extra for dusting
Toffee Sauce
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup lightly salted butter
Instructions
- Prepare Dates: Pour 2/3 cup boiling water over the chopped dates and baking soda. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to soften the dates and activate the baking soda. Add the vanilla extract and mash with a fork until smooth to create a flavorful base for the cake batter.
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and line the base with parchment paper for easy removal. Alternatively, prepare 6 individual 3/4-cup ramekins by buttering, lightly flouring, and lining with parchment paper circles to ensure the pudding doesn’t stick.
- Make Batter: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with both the dark and light brown sugars until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Incorporate the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully mixed before adding the next. Then add the milk followed by the mashed date mixture, mixing well after each addition. Note that the mixture may appear split at this point but will come together once the flour is added.
- Add Flour and Combine: Sift the self-rising flour over the wet ingredients and fold it in gently using a spatula to combine without overmixing. This helps maintain a light texture in the pudding.
- Bake Pudding: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish or ramekins and smooth the tops. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes if using the large dish, or 25 minutes for the individual ramekins. The pudding is done when it is golden, risen, and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Prepare Toffee Sauce: While the pudding bakes, gently heat the heavy cream, dark brown sugar, and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir frequently until the ingredients are melted, combined, and the sauce is smooth and glossy, creating a rich and luscious toffee topping.
- Serve: Remove the baked pudding from the oven and immediately spoon half of the warm toffee sauce over its surface. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes so the sauce can soak in. If using a large dish, cut the pudding into 8 portions. Serve warm with the remaining toffee sauce on the side. Optionally, add a scoop of crème fraîche or ice cream to elevate the dessert experience. Enjoy!
Notes
- Indulge in the ultimate comfort dessert featuring a moist and sticky cake made with dates and a rich toffee sauce.
- You can bake this pudding in a large dish or individual ramekins for portion control and presentation.
- Serving with crème fraîche or ice cream adds a creamy contrast to the rich toffee flavor.
- If you prefer a gluten-free version, substitute the self-rising flour with a gluten-free blend including baking powder.
- To intensify the toffee flavor, use dark brown sugar rather than light brown sugar in the sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of recipe)
- Calories: 509
- Sugar: 38.4 g
- Sodium: 187.9 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11.6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5.2 g
- Cholesterol: 124.1 mg
