If you love the heavenly taste of toffee, then this Sticky Toffee Pudding is going to be your new favorite dessert! It’s more cake than a custard & drizzled with a delectable toffee sauce. It’s absolutely incredible!
History of Sticky Toffee Pudding:
Sticky Toffee Pudding is a British dessert- a sponge cake covered in a sticky toffee sauce. Sometimes the cake is sweetened with dates, as in this version. Origins of Sticky Toffee Pudding date back to the 1970’s. The recipe was developed and shared with a couple of hotels. Word spread, and it became a popular dessert shared across England!
Oh my word, do I love a rich and sinful dessert this time of year. When I was a kid my whole focus during December was on the treats. I wanted them more than the gifts. Honestly, once someone tried to give me a gift at church when I was about 6 or 7 and I actually turned it down for a treat instead. Yes, I do love goodies that much.
With all the recipes my family would make during the month, they never really ventured into the cake like puddings. I didn’t have the pleasure of trying some until much later in life and finally realized what I had been missing all those years.
I know there are many varieties of English pudding out there and they are all delicious. But my very favorite is toffee. It’s absolutely over the top for me. It’s sort of like caramel but with deeper notes that just make me smile with every bite. I just love that this recipe is made using dates, so I sort of feel that helps in offsetting the sinfulness of the sauce.
I was sure happy that there was just a bit of sauce left over. It made a great addition to the top of the ice cream we paired on the side of this when it was time for dessert. The whole family was raving and they are already asking when I will make it again. I’d say that’s a hit.
If you are a toffee lover, this Sticky Toffee Pudding is definitely going to wow your world!
Here are a few more pudding recipes you might like to try:
- Blackberry Lemon Pudding Cake
- Cinnamon Caramel Bread Pudding
- Strawberry Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding
- Indian Pudding
- Chocolate Pudding Cake
- Irish Bread Pudding with Caramel Whiskey Sauce
- Chocolate Bread Pudding
- Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Ingredients
PUDDING/CAKE:
- 1¼ cups roughly chopped pitted dates
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
TOFFEE SAUCE:
- 1/2 cup half and half cream
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray.
PREPARE THE PUDDING/CAKE:
- Place the pitted dates in a food processor and pulse until they resemble large crumbs and no large chunks remain. Place the processed dates in a small bowl, sprinkle with baking soda and set aside. Add the boiling water to the dates and stir.
- In a large bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar and eggs; beat until just combined. Fold in the flour, baking powder, salt and date mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 40 to 50 minutes or until the center springs back when pressed slightly. Remove and cool on wire rack at least 10 minutes before removing from pan and serving.
PREPARE THE TOFFEE SAUCE:
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat stirring often until slightly thickened. Allow to cool approximately 10 minutes before drizzling over the toffee pudding and serving.
Notes
- When preparing your dates, roughly chop then measure out before pulsing in your food processor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi looks amazing. Can I make a day ahead?
Maybe- but it’s delicious to serve warm and fresh out of the oven!
Are there high altitude directions? Where I live is a mile high!
Here is some good advice for baking at high altitude: https://mountainmamacooks.com/high-altitude/
Hi, I’m going to make this. I only have a 9″ round pan. Would that work?
I haven’t baked it in a 9-inch pan, but you can certainly try!
I have always wanted to make sticky toffee pudding but it always seemed so complicated and with SO MANY ingredients. Thanks for posting a “simple” version that looks do-able!!! I am going to try over the holidays! QUESTION: do the dates get sticky/clumpy when you put them in a food processor? Is this avoidable and how? Possible to use a sharp knife?
I tried this date pudding recipe today and very happy to see the results and tastes yummy !!
Thanks for sharing
hi! I make another recipe with individual ones but this seems a lot less fussy.. the one thing with the other one, is you can make ahead, then before serving you pour the sauce on and bake for 10 minutes to heat it all up.. would this make it too dry with this recipe if i popped it back in the oven to heat it before serving? thanks in advance for your help!
tough to say since it was not made that way…
can I use raisins instead of dates?
I don’t think so- I’ve not tried that, and I’ve only ever heard of using dates in Sticky Toffee Pudding.
Hey dear, for the toffee sauce whats the first ingredient exactly 1 cup half and half of what?
half and half = half and half cream (USA)
YES! ???? This looks ahhmazzing. I love rich and sinful desserts this time of year too- and this looks absolutely irresistible!
Although I have heard of Sticky Toffee Pudding, I have never tried it! I think I need to change that – soon!