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Sticky toffee pudding on a dining table.
Elizabeth

English Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe

Sticky toffee pudding is a delicious traditional English dessert. The warm flavors of brown sugar, golden syrup, vanilla, molasses, and toffee make this warming dessert perfect for cooler autumn afternoons. This recipe is a must-try English treat!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 12 people
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: English
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 225 grams Pitted Dates (Note: Generally, this is approximately one bag).
  • 1 cup Boiling Water
  • 1½ tsp Baking Soda
  • ⅓ cup Salted Cream Butter (softened)
  • ⅔ cup Dark Brown Sugar (packed)
  • 2½ tsp Vanilla
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1 Tbsp Molasses
  • 1 Tbsp Golden Syrup
  • 1⅔ cup All- Purpose Flour
  • 1½ tsp Baking Powder
  • ¼ tsp Coarse Sea Salt

Equipment

  • 1 Stand mixer
  • 1 Blender or Food Processor

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 ℉.
  2. Carefully butter and flour a bundt cake pan. (Making sure to completely coat and flour the areas the cake batter will rest on).
  3. Cut pitted dates into bite sized bits. In a medium mixing bowl, add the chopped dates and sprinkle baking soda over the top of the dates. Pour boiling water over the dates. Stir and set aside to soften.
  4. Meanwhile, cream the sugar and the butter together until creamy and smooth.
  5. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between each addition.
  6. Add the vanilla, molasses, and the golden syrup.
  7. In a separate mixing bowl add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt). Stir the dry ingredients together until combined.
  8. Add the soaked dates liquid mixture to the blender or the food processor. (You will include the liquid- do not throw it away!) Blend until smooth (the texture of the dates will be applesauce consistency).
  9. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture. Mix until well combined- and a smooth batter is produced.
  10. Next, pour the pureed date mixture into the batter. Fold the dates into the batter by hand (using a rubber spatula). Do this until the ingredients are just combined.
  11. Pour the prepared batter into the bundt pan.
  12. Bake the pudding in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. The pudding will be dark in color (not burnt- but this is a dark golden cake due to the brown sugar, molasses, and dates). When completely baked- a toothpick will come out clean.
  13. Allow the pudding to cool before removing from the bunt pan. (While the pudding cools, make the toffee topping sauce).
  14. Pour the toffee topping sauce over the cake. Slice warm and serve with vanilla ice cream or homemade custard.

Notes

*Note: You do not have to pour all the toffee topping sauce onto the top of the pudding. I like to drizzle about half of the sauce over the pudding- saving the other half for serving. A slice of the sticky toffee pudding, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and then a drizzle of the toffee topping sauce over it all.
*Leftover cake should be completely cooked before covering. Store leftover cake in a cake cloche on the countertop or in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The pudding can be eaten as is- or slightly warmed again in the microwave before reserving.