Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine English

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 50

Cooling Time 35

Total Time 1 40

Servings servings

Calories 338kcal

Author Kate @ I Heart Eating

Equipment

Mixer
9x9-inch metal baking pan

Ingredients

Cake

8 ounces pitted dates chopped
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup boiling water
¾ cup brown sugar packed
2 large eggs at room temperature
6 tablespoons butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Toffee Sauce

½ cup brown sugar packed
½ cup heavy whipping cream
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To make the cake, stir the dates, baking soda, and boiling water together in a large heat-proof bowl.
8 ounces pitted dates, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 cup boiling water
Let stand for 30 minutes, or until cooled to room temperature.
Toward the end of the cooling time, preheat the oven to 350F.
Grease and flour a 9x9-inch metal baking dish. Set aside.
Add the brown sugar, eggs, butter, and vanilla to the date mixture.
¾ cup brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 6 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix on medium for 2-3 minutes. The batter may look curdled.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt.
1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
Mix in on low for 1 minute, or just until combined, scraping the sides as needed.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. You don't want wet batter. There should just be a couple moist crumbs.
Set the cake in the pan on a wire cooling rack while you make the sauce.
To make the toffee sauce, add the brown sugar, heavy whipping cream, butter, and salt to a medium saucepan.
½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup heavy whipping cream, Pinch of salt, 6 tablespoons butter
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring regularly.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes, or until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Remove from heat.
Whisk in the vanilla.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Let the sauce stand for 5-10 minutes to thicken before using.
Optional: Poke small holes over the top of the cake. I like to use a bamboo skewer.
Pour 1/2 cup of the sauce over the top of the warm cake.
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
Serve the warm cake topped with the remaining sauce.

Notes

Dates - Mejool dates are usually recommended for use in this cake. I've also used deglet noor dates, and they worked out well.
Chopping the dates: Since dates are sticky, they can be difficult to chop. You can give the blade of your knife a quick spritz of nonstick cooking spray to help with that.
Brown sugar: You can use light or dark brown sugar in this recipe. Dark brown sugar will give the cake and the sauce a richer toffee flavor.
Butter: I prefer using salted butter in this recipe. However, you can use unsalted if you like.
Nutrition facts are estimates.

Nutrition