This sticky toffee pudding is a dark and moist sponge cake made with dates and sweetened with brown sugar and molasses. It’s served with a warm rich-buttery toffee sauce. This recipe is easy to make and can be prepared in advance. Toffee sauce being poured over a sticky toffee pudding cake.

What is sticky toffee pudding?

Sticky toffee pudding is a very moist sponge cake covered in a toffee sauce. It’s usually made with pureed dates, giving the pudding cake a unique texture similar to a bran muffin. It tastes like a deliciously moist and gooey gingerbread cake. Pudding is a British term for a dessert that is baked or steamed and served hot. Sticky toffee pudding is known to be an English dessert and it’s commonly served in British pubs and restaurants, but apparently, its roots are Canadian.

Its Canadian origin makes sense because sticky toffee pudding is not like most other traditional dessert puddings in the British sense of the word. It isn’t steamed like Spotted Dick (yes, you read that right) or Christmas Pudding and it isn’t baked in a pudding mold. Its batter is more like an American muffin than a traditional English sponge. But no matter where it originated from, its sticky-sweet charm is absolutely irresistible nonetheless. (source: The Daring Gourmet and Sticky Toffee Pudding Co.) Sticky toffee pudding on a white plate.

Why this recipe is so great:

  • Flavorful and melt-in-your-mouth good – The combination of dates, brown sugar, and molasses in the pudding cake provides a deep caramel flavor and extremely soft and moist texture. While the combination of butter, cream, brown sugar and molasses gives an intensely rich taste and smooth finish to the toffee sauce. Put both together and you get this bold, flavorful, and melt-in-your-mouth dessert.
  • Perfect individual-sized portions – Baking this in a muffin pan makes for perfect portion-sized pudding cakes that are easy to serve and easy to freeze.
  • Can be made in advance – The pudding cakes and toffee sauce can be stored separately in the fridge for up to 5 days. To serve, reheat the pudding cakes for 30 seconds (or more, depending on how many you are reheating) in the microwave until warm to the touch. You can reheat the toffee sauce in a saucepan over low-medium heat or microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring occasionally, until warm.

How to make sticky toffee pudding:

(the ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card further below)

process pictures of how to make sticky toffee pudding

  1. First, soak the pitted dates in boiling water and baking soda to soften.
  2. Blend the date mixture along with the soaking water.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the pureed dates, butter, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs, and molasses.
  4. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Evenly divide the batter into a muffin pan. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, heat the heavy cream, brown sugar, butter, molasses, and vanilla in a small saucepan until slightly thickened.

sticky toffee pudding in a muffin tray before being baked and toffee sauce in a saucepan

How to serve:

Serve warm with the pudding cake smothered in the toffee sauce. You can go the extra mile and serve it with some vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, crème Fraiche or crème Anglais.

How to freeze:

Individually wrap each pudding cake in saran wrap, then place them in a freezer-friendly container or ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave until warm to the touch. You can also freeze the toffee sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge as well and reheat in a saucepan or microwave until warm.

You might also like:

sticky toffee pudding on a white plate with a silver spoon

Did you make this recipe? Please kindly leave a comment with your star rating below.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Sticky Toffee Pudding

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Lily Ernst
  • Prep Time: 20 min
  • Cook Time: 20 min
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 12
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: bake & stovetop
  • Cuisine: English
Print Recipe

Description

This sticky toffee pudding is a dark and moist sponge cake made with dates and sweetened with brown sugar and molasses. It’s served with a warm rich-buttery toffee sauce.

Ingredients

Pudding Cake

  • 8 oz dried pitted dates
  • 1 cup (250ml) boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter (salted or unsalted)
  • 1 cup (200g) lightly packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoon molasses
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Toffee Sauce

  • 1/2 cup (75ml) heavy/whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup (100g) lightly packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup (57g) butter (salted or unsalted)
  • 3 tablespoon molasses
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Soak the pitted dates in the just boiled water and baking soda for 15 minutes. Puree the whole mixture including the water in a food processor or blender until smooth with some small chunks remaining.
  2. Preheat oven to 350F and generously grease a muffin pan.
  3. In a medium bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together the pureed dates, butter, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs, and molasses until smooth.
  5. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan.
  6. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Meanwhile, heat all the toffee sauce ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the sauce thickens a bit, about 5 minutes.
  8. Serve the warm toffee sauce over warm pudding cakes. You can also serve it with some vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, crème Fraiche or crème Anglais for a little extra indulgence.

Notes

The pudding cakes and toffee sauce can be stored separately in the fridge for up to 5 days. To serve, reheat the pudding cakes for 30 seconds (or more, depending on how many you are reheating) in the microwave until warm to the touch. You can reheat the toffee sauce in a saucepan over low-medium heat or microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring occasionally, until warm.

To freeze – Individually wrap each pudding cake in saran wrap, then place them in a freezer-friendly container or ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave until warm to the touch. You can also freeze the toffee sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge as well and reheat in a saucepan or microwave until warm.

Recipe slightly adapted from Closet Cooking.