Warm, gooey, and drenched in a rich butterscotch sauce, this Sticky Toffee Pudding is pure indulgence! Simple yet impressive, it’s the ultimate dessert for winter nights, special gatherings, and even Ramadan.
About This Recipe
Sticky Toffee Pudding is the ultimate comforting dessert—warm, gooey, and absolutely irresistible! This classic British dessert features a soft, moist cake made with dates, soaked in a rich and buttery butterscotch sauce, and best served with a luscious scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Perfect for cozy winter nights, special gatherings, and even Ramadan, this dessert is much simpler to make than it looks! If you want to impress your guests with another stunning dessert, try my Matilda Chocolate Cake, Black Forest Cake, Pistachio Cardamom Tres Leches Cake, or Lavender Lemon Bundt Cake!
What You Need To Make This Recipe
For the Butterscotch Sauce:
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and a creamy texture to the sauce. It’s essential for creating that smooth, indulgent butterscotch flavor.
- Light brown sugar: Provides the sweetness and deep caramelized flavor that makes the sauce so irresistible. It also contributes to the rich color of the sauce.
- Heavy cream: Gives the sauce its luxurious consistency and velvety smoothness. It balances the sweetness of the sugar and helps create a perfect pourable texture.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the depth of flavor in the sauce, adding a warm and aromatic note that complements the butterscotch.
For the Pudding (Cake):
- Pitted dates: These are the star ingredient of the pudding, providing natural sweetness and moisture. Dates give the cake its rich, caramel-like flavor and soft texture.
- Baking soda: Helps the cake rise by reacting with the acidity in the dates, creating bubbles that give the pudding a light and fluffy texture.
- Boiling milk: Used to soften the dates and help form a smooth batter. The warmth of the milk aids in dissolving the baking soda and sugar, ensuring a soft and moist cake.
- All-purpose flour: The base of the cake, provides structure and stability. It absorbs the liquid ingredients and holds everything together.
- Baking powder: Works alongside the baking soda to ensure the cake rises and becomes light and airy.
- Salt: Enhances the sweetness and balances the flavors, ensuring the pudding isn’t overly sweet.
- Light brown sugar: Adds sweetness and a mild caramel flavor to the cake, complementing the richness of the dates.
- Unsalted butter (melted): Adds moisture and richness to the batter, giving the pudding its tender crumb and a delicious flavor.
- Large eggs (room temperature): Provide structure and stability to the batter. Eggs help bind the ingredients together and give the cake a light texture.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a subtle aromatic flavor, which enhances the overall taste of the cake.
To Serve:
- Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream: Optional but highly recommended! These creamy toppings add a cool, light contrast to the warm, rich pudding and butterscotch sauce, balancing the dessert’s sweetness.
Pro Tips
- Soaking the dates: Letting the dates soak in hot milk softens them, ensuring a moist and tender cake.
- Blending the dates: A smooth date paste makes for the best pudding texture. Use a food processor or blender for a lump-free batter.
- Poking holes in the cake: This allows the butterscotch sauce to seep into the cake, making it extra gooey and flavorful.
- Serving warm: Sticky Toffee Pudding is best served warm! Reheat before serving to keep the sauce melty and delicious.
How to Store the Sticky Toffee Pudding
Fridge: Store leftover sticky toffee pudding in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating: To enjoy it warm, microwave individual servings for 20-30 seconds before serving.
Freezer: You can freeze the pudding (without the sauce) for up to 2 months. Reheat and drizzle with fresh butterscotch sauce before serving.
FAQ’s
Can I make sticky toffee pudding ahead of time?
Yes! You can bake the cake in advance and store it in the fridge for a couple of days. Just reheat it and pour warm butterscotch sauce over it before serving.
Can I use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar?
Yes! Dark brown sugar will give the sauce a deeper caramel flavor, but light brown sugar works perfectly too.
Do I need a blender or food processor for the dates?
Blending the dates gives the cake a smoother texture, but if you don’t have a blender, you can mash them well with a fork after soaking.
Can I serve it without ice cream?
Absolutely! While vanilla ice cream adds a creamy contrast, you can also serve it with whipped cream or just enjoy it as is.
This Sticky Toffee Pudding is the perfect dessert when you want something warm, cozy, and truly indulgent. The moist date cake, rich butterscotch sauce, and creamy ice cream make every bite pure heaven. Whether you’re making it for a special occasion, a winter treat, or a Ramadan dessert, this is guaranteed to impress!
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Sticky Toffee Pudding
Equipment
- 1 Medium-sized saucepan
- 2 Spatulas
- 2 Medium sized bowls
- Food processor or blender
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Large bowl
- 1 8-inch square baking pan greased with butter or vegetable oil
- Kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
For the butterscotch sauce
- 113 g unsalted butter (1/2 cup) cold and cubed
- 140 g light brown sugar (3/4 cup + 2tbsp)
- 290 g heavy cream (1 1/4 cup)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the pudding
- 285 g pitted dates (1 3/4 cup)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 300 g boiling milk (1 1/4 cup)
- 150 g all-purpose flour (1 1/4 cup)
- 2 tsp `baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 100 g light brown sugar (1/2 cup)
- 113 g unsalted butter (1/2 cup) melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs room temp.
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
To serve
- ice cream or whipped cream
Instructions
Make the butterscotch sauce
- Place a saucepan over medium-low heat and add butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract.
- Stir occasionally until the mixture comes to a simmer.
- Once simmering, let it cook for another 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a heat-proof bowl. Set aside.
Prepare the pudding (cake)
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease an 8-inch square cake pan with butter or vegetable oil.
- In a food processor or blender, add pitted dates, baking soda, and boiling milk. Cover and let soak for 10 minutes.
- While the dates are soaking, sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
- After 10 minutes, blend the date mixture until smooth.
- Transfer the date paste into a large bowl and add brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
- Add in the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until everything is fully incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Soak the cake
- Once baked, immediately poke holes all over the hot cake using a skewer.
- Pour half of the butterscotch sauce over the cake and let it soak for 10 minutes.
- Cut into squares and serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
- Drizzle with extra butterscotch sauce and enjoy!