Sticky Toffee Pudding
Sticky Toffee Pudding is an English cake made of dates soaked in boiling water with baking soda, drenched in a toffee sauce made of butter, brown sugar, and cream. The baking soda softens the date skin completely and is the secret to its very moist texture.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Calories
- 520
Sticky toffee pudding is one of the most beloved desserts in England, and despite its name, it isn't an ancient tradition — it appeared in the 1960s. Its secret lies in the dates: they are the source of sweetness, moisture, and dark color all at once.
Method
-
1
Soaking the Dates
Put the chopped dates in a bowl, pour the boiling water over them, and add the baking soda. It will fizz a little — this is normal. Leave it for 20-30 minutes. Baking soda is alkaline, so it completely breaks down the fibers of the date skin and makes them dissolve.
-
2
Mashing the Dates
Mash the dates with a fork or an immersion blender until it becomes a coarse paste with small pieces. Do not blend it until completely smooth — the small pieces give the cake delicious moist pockets.
-
3
Creaming the Butter and Sugar
Beat the soft butter with the brown sugar for 4 minutes until lightened in color and creamy. Add the eggs one by one beating after each, then the vanilla.
-
4
Combining Flour and Dates
Add the flour and fold with a spoon using a cutting motion until it just disappears. Then add the date paste with its water and gently mix. The batter will be very liquid — this is correct and not a mistake, it is the source of moisture.
-
5
Baking
Pour into a pan lined with parchment paper, and bake at 180 °C for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. The top will be dark — this is the color of the dates, not burning.
-
6
Toffee Sauce
Melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely, then pour in the cream, stir, and let it simmer gently for 4-5 minutes until it thickens and becomes glossy. Add the salt — salt is what keeps the sauce from being boringly sweet.
-
7
Drenching
While the cake is still hot, poke it all over with a toothpick and pour one-third of the sauce over it. The holes let the sauce go inside rather than staying on the surface — this is the step that makes it truly "sticky".
-
8
Serving
Serve warm with the remaining sauce poured on top, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream or cream. The contrast between the hot cake and the cold ice cream is half the fun of this dessert.
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Tips that actually matter
- Baking soda with boiling water completely softens the date skin.
- The batter is very liquid — this is correct and not a mistake.
- Poke the hot cake before the sauce so it goes inside.
- Salt in the sauce is essential to balance the sweetness.
- Serve warm with something cold — the contrast is part of the dish.
People also ask
Can I make it without baking soda?
You can, but the dates won't dissolve to the same degree and the cake will be less tender. Baking soda is alkaline so it breaks down the date skin fibers. If unavailable, soak the dates in boiling water for a full hour and mash them well.
The cake came out dry — why?
You probably overbaked it, or the batter wasn't liquid enough. The batter must be very liquid, and baking is only 30-35 minutes. Poking the cake and pouring the sauce over it while hot makes up for a lot.
Can I make it a day ahead?
Yes, and it tastes even better. Make the cake and sauce and store them separately. Warm the portion for 30 seconds in the microwave and pour warm sauce over it. The sauce keeps for a week in the fridge.
What is the substitute for self-raising flour?
175 g regular flour + 1.5 small spoons of baking powder + a quarter small spoon of salt, and sift them together twice. The result will be completely identical.
Cook mode
Sticky Toffee Pudding
-
1
Soaking the Dates
Put the chopped dates in a bowl, pour the boiling water over them, and add the baking soda. It will fizz a little — this is normal. Leave it for 20-30 minutes. Baking soda is alkaline, so it completely breaks down the fibers of the date skin and makes them dissolve.
-
2
Mashing the Dates
Mash the dates with a fork or an immersion blender until it becomes a coarse paste with small pieces. Do not blend it until completely smooth — the small pieces give the cake delicious moist pockets.
-
3
Creaming the Butter and Sugar
Beat the soft butter with the brown sugar for 4 minutes until lightened in color and creamy. Add the eggs one by one beating after each, then the vanilla.
-
4
Combining Flour and Dates
Add the flour and fold with a spoon using a cutting motion until it just disappears. Then add the date paste with its water and gently mix. The batter will be very liquid — this is correct and not a mistake, it is the source of moisture.
-
5
Baking
Pour into a pan lined with parchment paper, and bake at 180 °C for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. The top will be dark — this is the color of the dates, not burning.
-
6
Toffee Sauce
Melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely, then pour in the cream, stir, and let it simmer gently for 4-5 minutes until it thickens and becomes glossy. Add the salt — salt is what keeps the sauce from being boringly sweet.
-
7
Drenching
While the cake is still hot, poke it all over with a toothpick and pour one-third of the sauce over it. The holes let the sauce go inside rather than staying on the surface — this is the step that makes it truly "sticky".
-
8
Serving
Serve warm with the remaining sauce poured on top, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream or cream. The contrast between the hot cake and the cold ice cream is half the fun of this dessert.
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