As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Sticky toffee pudding is quite literally my favorite dessert of all time. If you aren't on this train, hop on board because we're about to dive into the best ever sticky toffee pudding (possibly dessert recipe) ever. A bold claim, I know, but stick with me. It's quick, easy, and tastes like a perfect, complex caramel bomb dessert.
My mom has been making this recipe forever. It hits ever. Single. Time. It's been made dozens (hundreds?) of times, for guests, for parties, for dinners, for mid-week treats. It's amazing. Rave reviews always. I will never stop making it. I will never change one part of it. And after you try it, I'll know you'll feel the same way.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Thicker, gooier texture: The dates in this dish gives a thick, plush pudding that holds sauce beautifully. Don't like dates? Neither did I. This recipe changed my mind totally. Also, the dates simply melt away into the cake, you aren't getting chunks of them, so just trust me and go with it.
Simple, accessible ingredients: You likely have everything on hand (except maybe the dates), so it’s easy but feels indulgent.
Decadent toffee sauce: The brown sugar, cream, and butter sauce is pure, buttery magic poured over each serving.
No special tools required: An 8x8" dish and a hand mixer or whisk are all you need. You can, of course, use a stand-mixer like I did.
Broiled caramel topping: That quick broil with sauce creates a golden, bubbly crust on top. It's iconic.
Always a crowd-pleaser: Serve with ice cream or whipped cream, and watch it disappear. Everyone I've ever served this too has absolutely raved about it. Plus, you can easily double this recipe and bake it in a 9x13" baking pan to make it for a crowd!
Make-ahead option: Prepare in advance, reheat, and pour on fresh sauce for an easy dessert.
Perfect cozy dessert: Thick, saucy, and comforting—this is the ultimate treat on a chilly night. Serve it with all your favorite cozy cocktails, like a smoked old fashioned!
What is Sticky Toffee Pudding?
Ok, I know we here in North America may not be as familiar with this classic British dessert, but we've been sleeping on it for far too long.
Sticky toffee pudding is a moist cake that incorporates finely chopped dates. The cake is then drenched in a warm, buttery toffee sauce. It's often topped with a bit more sauce before serving, making for a sweet, gooey texture that balances richness with a subtle hint of fruitiness from the dates.
This dessert showed up in the mid-20th century, and the invention is usually credited to Francis Coulson, who served it at his Sharrow Bay Country House in England. Over time, sticky toffee pudding has grown in popularity across the United Kingdom and beyond, becoming a widely loved treat in Commonwealth countries and fine dining establishments worldwide.
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients:
- Dates: Provide natural sweetness and a caramel-like flavor, helping create the moist, dense texture that’s key to this dessert. They add a subtle fruitiness that balances out the rich toffee sauce.
- Boiling water: Used to soften the dates, allowing them to blend into the batter easily. The softened dates become more paste-like, giving the cake a luscious texture.
- Baking soda: Combined with boiling water, this softens the dates further by breaking down their fibers, making them easier to incorporate. It also helps the cake rise.
- Butter: Adds richness and moisture, creating a tender crumb. In both the cake and the sauce, butter’s creaminess makes each bite smooth and satisfying.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the cake itself, while brown sugar in the toffee sauce adds depth, a hint of molasses, and that essential caramel flavor.
- Egg: Provides structure and stability to the cake, helping it rise and hold its shape. The egg binds ingredients, creating a soft, cohesive crumb.
- Vanilla: A classic flavor enhancer, vanilla balances the sweetness and brings warmth that complements the caramel notes.
- Flour: Forms the base of the cake, creating structure. Using just the right amount keeps it from becoming too dense, while allowing the dates to maintain a pudding-like consistency.
- Baking powder: Helps the cake rise, giving it a light yet moist texture, so it doesn’t end up too heavy.
Toffee Sauce Ingredients:
- Brown sugar: Essential for toffee flavor, it melts into the butter and cream, providing a deep caramel taste.
- Heavy cream: Adds richness to the sauce, making it silky and indulgent. It also prevents the sauce from hardening, keeping it smooth when poured over the cake.
- Butter: Melts with the brown sugar and cream, providing a buttery richness and a glossy finish.
How to Make the Best Sticky Toffee Pudding Ever
It's dead easy. Here we go.
To make this sticky toffee pudding, start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Prep your 8x8” baking dish with a quick coat of cooking spray to prevent sticking.
For the pudding base, chop the dates into small pieces and place them in a bowl. Pour in boiling water, add the baking soda, and give it a good stir. I will say, chopping the dates is the most irritating part of this process. They are super sticky and don't chop well. Do your best. Set it aside to soften—this will give the dates a jammy consistency that melds perfectly into the batter.
In a stand mixer, (or using a hand mixer) cream the butter and granulated sugar until the mixture turns pale and fluffy. Then add the egg and vanilla, mixing until fully incorporated.
Gradually fold the flour and baking powder into the butter mixture, careful not to overmix so the cake remains tender.
Now, gently fold in the softened date mixture, ensuring it's well distributed without breaking down the dates entirely.
Note: There will still be chunks of dates in the batter. They should finish melting away during the cooking process! This is what the date mix will look like before you add it to the pudding batter:
Pro Tip: If you're still worried about the size of the dates, you can give it a whirl in the blender at this point to make sure the dates are really good to go. Definitely optional though.
Pour the batter into your prepared dish and smooth the top. Bake for around 35 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly pressed.
While it’s baking, make the sauce by melting the butter, cream, and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 8 minutes, and leave it alone. You’ll end up with a thick, rich sauce that’s perfect for drizzling.
Once the cake is done, switch your oven to broil. Pour about ⅓ cup of the sauce over the top of the warm cake, then broil until bubbly—watch closely to avoid burning.
Serve each portion warm, with extra sauce poured on top and, if you like, a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Pro Tips and Tricks
Pre-soak the dates longer for extra softness: Let the dates sit in the boiling water for up to 10 minutes, if possible. This breaks them down more and creates a jam-like texture that blends even better into the cake.
Add a hint of coffee: Try adding a teaspoon of instant coffee granules to the date mixture. It intensifies the caramel notes without making it taste like coffee.
Use room temperature ingredients: Allow the butter and egg to reach room temperature before mixing. This helps them combine more easily and results in a lighter, fluffier texture.
Mix gently for a tender crumb: Once you add the flour, fold gently rather than using the mixer. Overmixing can make the cake dense, so go easy here!
Go for a caramelized top under the broiler: After broiling the top with a bit of sauce, add an extra drizzle of fresh sauce before serving. This double layering gives a delicious contrast of caramelization and sauce on top.
Make it ahead of time: Sticky toffee pudding actually tastes better after resting. Bake it a day before, refrigerate, then warm it up and add sauce right before serving.
Add salt to the sauce: A tiny pinch of salt in the toffee sauce will balance the sweetness and make the flavors pop.
Make It Ahead
Bake the Cake: Prepare and bake the cake as usual, then let it cool completely. If you’re making it a day or two ahead, you can leave it in the baking dish, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
Prepare the Sauce: Make the toffee sauce, let it cool slightly, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate separately from the cake.
Reheating: When you’re ready to serve, gently reheat the cake in the oven at 300°F (about 10-15 minutes, covered with foil to prevent drying). For the sauce, warm it up on the stovetop over low heat, stirring to maintain its consistency, or microwave in short intervals.
Broiling for Extra Caramelization (Optional): Pour some of the sauce over the cake and broil until bubbly and slightly caramelized, then add another fresh drizzle just before serving.
Freezing: If you’re making it well in advance, you can freeze the cake (without sauce) for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then follow the reheating instructions.
Reheating and Storage
To store sticky toffee pudding, let it cool completely. Then, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. You can refrigerate it for up to 3 days or freeze it (without sauce) for up to 3 months. For the sauce, store it separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
When you’re ready to serve, reheat the cake at 300°F, covered with foil to prevent drying. Warm the sauce in a saucepan or microwave, then drizzle on top just before serving.
This method preserves texture and flavor without any loss of moisture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! While dates are traditional for their natural sweetness and moisture, you can substitute them with figs or prunes for a similar texture. Alternatively, use applesauce or even raisins, though these may slightly change the flavor.
Yes, ramekins work well for individual portions. The baking time will be shorter, so check for doneness after about 20-25 minutes.
Reheat the cake in the oven at 300°F, covered with foil to lock in moisture, until warmed through. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave for 20-30 seconds on low power.
Sticky toffee pudding has a rich, caramel-like sweetness with warm, buttery notes from the toffee sauce. The cake itself is moist, dense, and has hints of fruitiness from the dates. Together, it tastes cozy and luxurious, especially when paired with ice cream or whipped cream.
To make it for a larger group, double the ingredients and bake in a 9x13” baking dish instead of an 8x8".
More Awesome Baking Recipes
📖 Recipe
Mom's Sticky Toffee Pudding (The Best)
Equipment
- 8x8" baking dish
Ingredients
For the Pudding
- ¾ C dates pitted and chopped
- 1¼ C boiling water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ C butter room temperature
- ¾ C granulated sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 C flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
For the Sauce
- ½ C butter
- ½ C heavy cream
- 1 C brown sugar
Instructions
For The Pudding
- Preheat oven: 350°F.
- Prep pan: grease an 8x8" baking dish.
- Prepare dates: Chop dates finely, place in a bowl, pour boiling water over, and add baking soda. Stir and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients: Combine flour and baking powder, then gradually fold into the egg mixture. Avoid overmixing.
- Add dates: Fold in the date mixture (see notes if the dates are looking very chunky).
- Bake: Pour batter into the prepared pan, bake for 35 minutes, or until the top springs back when poked.
- Broil with sauce: Set oven to broil. Pour about ⅓ cup of sauce over the cake. Broil for 5 minutes, watching to avoid burning.
- Serve: Spoon more sauce on top of each serving, with ice cream or whipped cream.
For the Toffee Sauce
- Cook sauce: While the cake bakes, combine butter, cream, and brown sugar in a saucepan over high heat.
- Simmer: Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low. Let it bubble for 8 minutes, watching closely, but not stirring.
- Finish: Once thickened, remove from heat.
Video
Notes
- Texture: The pudding's texture is between cake and pudding, thanks to the dates. To get an even softer texture, puree the date mixture before adding it to the batter. If you're worried that your dates are still too big after the baking soda soak, you can also puree in the blender.
- Make-Ahead Option: The pudding can be made up to two days in advance and stored in the fridge. Just reheat before serving for best results.
- Substitutions: If you’re out of dates, figs or prunes can work as a substitute, though they’ll add a slightly different flavor profile.
- Serving Suggestion: Sticky toffee pudding is best enjoyed with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream to balance the richness.
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Cara! I'm a food writer, journalist, and recipe developer. I'm obsessed good food, good wine, good cocktails and entertaining. I've picked up a few tips over the years, and love sharing them with others.
Leave a Reply