Description
A classic British dessert known for its sticky, gooey, and spongy texture infused with a rich toffee flavor. This Sticky Toffee Pudding combines tender date-infused cake with a luscious homemade English toffee sauce, perfect for serving warm with vanilla ice cream or custard for an indulgent treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Date Mixture
- 6 ounces pitted dried dates, roughly chopped (preferably Medjool)
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Cake Batter
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar (can reduce to 1/2 cup for less sweetness)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon neutral tasting oil (e.g., avocado or canola)
- 1 tablespoon black treacle (or dark molasses as substitute)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For Serving
- Homemade English Toffee Sauce
- Optional: vanilla ice cream, vanilla custard, or whipped cream
Instructions
- Soak and Puree Dates: Coarsely chop the dates and place them in a bowl. Pour the boiling water over the dates and stir in the baking soda. Allow the mixture to soak and cool down. Using an immersion blender or regular blender, puree the dates to create a chunky-smooth texture, avoiding a completely smooth paste.
- Prepare Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the dark brown sugar and softened butter until smooth and pale. Beat in the eggs and neutral oil. Add the black treacle and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until combined. Finally, fold in the chunky date puree, mixing just until incorporated.
- Prepare Baking Pan: Generously butter a jumbo or king-sized muffin pan, which holds roughly 1 cup per mold. For extra caramelization and moistness, optionally add about 2 teaspoons of brown sugar and 3/4 teaspoon of butter to the bottom of each muffin mold before adding the batter.
- Bake the Puddings: Spoon the batter into each muffin mold, filling them about two-thirds full. Bake on the middle rack of a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 25 minutes if using muffin tins, or about 40 minutes if using an 8×8 inch cake pan. The pudding is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the puddings to cool in the tin for a few minutes before carefully removing them to a wire rack. For extra moisture, brush the warm cakes with a bit of toffee sauce so they absorb the flavor. Serve warm, generously drizzled with the homemade English Toffee Sauce. Accompany with vanilla ice cream, custard, or whipped cream if desired.
Notes
- The pudding is sticky, gooey, and spongy with a luxuriously delicious toffee flavor, making it an irresistible classic dessert.
- Using Medjool dates enhances the flavor due to their natural sweetness and softness.
- Adjust the brown sugar amount to control the sweetness based on your preference.
- Adding brown sugar and butter at the bottom of muffin molds results in a more caramelized and moist finish.
- Brushing the cakes with toffee sauce while warm helps increase moisture and flavor absorption.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream, custard, or whipped cream for a decadent experience.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous pudding
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 47 g
- Sodium: 407 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 74 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 74 mg
