Sticky Toffee Pudding

Warm up with this Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe made using a loaf tin! This classic dessert features a moist and rich loaf cake that is generously served with a toffee sauce. With the perfect balance of sweetness and warmth, this iconic British dessert is sure to impress your loved ones. The loaf tin method ensures a perfectly sized and easy-to-serve portion for each indulgent slice.

Sticky Toffee Pudding is also called Sticky Date Pudding as a traditional British dessert that isn’t actually that old. Yet it is often found on menus in most pubs at the heart of British culture. Sticky Toffee Pudding's tender crumb interior is thanks to the blended dates that results in a beautiful toffee flavor profile.

What is Sticky Toffee Pudding?

Sticky Toffee Pudding is a classic British dessert that consists of a moist sponge cake made with dates and a rich toffee sauce. It is a decadent and comforting treat that is perfect for indulging in on special occasions or cozy evenings.

Ingredients and substitutions for Sticky Toffee Pudding

• Dates: We want soft and sticky medjool dates as they soften and blend easily. You could substitute with any other type of date you have on hand or could substitute with dried figs if you don't like the taste of dates.
• Boiling water: The water needs to be boiling to be able to sften those dates.
• Butter: Room temperature unsalted butter was used, but salted works as a substitute too. You could try replacing with non dairy butter, but I cannot guarantee the result.
• Sugars: The use of light and dark brown sugar compliments the sweetness from the dates and adds a depth of flavor. You could substitute completely with only light or dark brown sugar. Completely substituting with superfine or caster sugar would only add sweetness removing the caramel undertones beloved in this.
• Egg: As well as adding structure to the loaf, the egg helps to bind everything together so is essential.
• Milk: Whole milk helps add moisture to our loaf and gives it the light result without becoming stodgy. You could replace with creamy non dairy milk.
• Flour: Plain or all purpose flour adds a light texture to the cake and you'll keep a light crumb by only mixing until combined.
• Baking soda and powder: These help the loaf rise for a light crumb and avoid a stodgy result.
• Vanilla extract and salt: The flavor powerhouses that help balance the sweetness and give a depth of flavor within our tender sponge cake.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Sticky Toffee Pudding:

Step 1: Soak the dates: Soak the dates in boiling water.

Step 2: Beat: Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, adding the egg and whipping.

Step 3: Date paste: Blend the dates and mix into the wet mixture.

Step 4: Sift those dries: Sift the dry ingredients into a separate bowl and toss into the wet ingredients.

Step 5: Fold it: Fold until the batter is smooth and pour into your cake tin. Baking until golden.

Step 6: Saucy: Make that sticky toffee sauce and pour into your serving jug.

Step 8: Sauce coating: Invert the loaf whilst warm (not hot) onto your serving plate and top with half the toffee sauce.

Step 9: Slice: Slice portions onto your serving plates.

Step 10: Serve: Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and more sauce and dig in.

FAQ's for the best Sticky Toffee Pudding

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Sticky Toffee Pudding

Sylvie Taylor

This Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe is sure to impress your loved ones. The loaf tin method ensures a perfectly sized and easy-to-serve portion for each indulgent slice to serve with homemade toffee sauce and a scoop of ice cream or thick drizzle of custard.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert, Puddings

Cuisine British

Servings 8 -12

Calories 545 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Sticky pudding loaf

• 150 grams / 5.3 ounces medjool dates pits remove and roughly chopped
• 60 milliliters / ¼ cup boiling water
• 100 grams / 3.5 ounces butter room temperature
• 50 grams / ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 100 grams / ½ cup dark brown sugar
• 55 grams / 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 80 milliliters / ⅓ cup milk
• 240 grams / 1 ½ cups plain flour
• 5 grams / 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 grams / 1 teaspoon baking powder

Sauce

• 75 grams / 2.65 ounces butter
• 65 grams / ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
• 20 grams / 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon sea or kosher salt
• 250 milliliters / 1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

 

Sticky pudding loaf

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and lightly greaseproof a loaf tin.
• Place the chopped dates into a bowl and top with the hot water. Set aside to soak for 20 minutes.
• Beat the butter and sugars in a bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
• Add in the egg and beat until well combined and smooth.
• Blend the soaked dates and water until a paste forms.
• Add the date paste, vanilla extract and milk and beat until just combined.
• Sift the dry ingredients into a separate bowl and stir.
• Add to the wet ingredients and fold until a cake batter is formed and smooth and no dry portions remain in your bowl.
• Pour into your loaf tin and smooth out on top.
• Bake for 50 minutes until golden on top.
• Invert onto your serving plate.

Toffee Sauce

• Place the butter, brown sugar, salt and 150 milliliters or ⅓ cup of the heavy cream into a saucepan on medium heat.
• Simmer until the sugar has dissolved and butter melted, and it has thickened until it leaves a thick coating on the back of your spoon when you stir it, approximately 3 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and add the remaining heavy cream, allowing to simmer until golden and it sticks to the back of your spoon, approximately 1 ½ minutes.
• Remove from the heat and pour into your serving jug.
• Pour the toffee sauce over your warm cake.
• Slice and serve with a scoop of ice cream or a thick drizzle of vanilla custard and more warm sauce.
• Enjoy!

Video

Notes

• Dates: We want soft and sticky medjool dates as they soften and blend easily. You could substitute with any other type of date you have on hand or could substitute with dried figs if you don't like the taste of dates.
• Sugars: The use of light and dark brown sugar compliments the sweetness from the dates and adds a depth of flavor. You could substitute completely with only light or dark brown sugar. Completely substituting with superfine or caster sugar would only add sweetness.
• Loaf tin: The loaf tin used here fits 1 kilo or 2 pounds.
• Make ahead: The pudding loaf can be baked ahead and stored in an airtight container. When ready to serve, reheat the individual slices in the microwave or in the oven at 100C/210F for 10 minutes at serving time. Whilst warming up the toffee sauce on the stovetop. This way, you can enjoy a freshly warmed and gooey dessert without the hassle of preparing everything from scratch.
• Baking into individual servings: If baking in a muffin tin or ramekins the baking time needs to be lowered to 12-15 minutes at the same temperature until a skewer comes out clean.
• Serve with: Traditional options include pouring over the warm toffee sauce as per this recipe, serving with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or custard. 

Recipe by Roamingtaste

Nutrition

Calories: 545kcal

Keyword fall dish, pudding, winter dish

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