Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe - a moist, tender date cake soaked in buttery toffee sauce and topped with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. Once you make it from scratch, the boxed stuff never stands a chance again.
I made this one on a whim because it's still warm out, but ice cream, toffee, and a slice of moist cake were all I wanted. This Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe was born out of that exact craving. It's not overly spiced or heavy, it's just a soft, rich sponge that lets the toffee sauce do the talking, and it comes together faster than you'd think for something that tastes this indulgent.
If you love this one, you have to try my Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Pudding for a fall spin on the same base, or my Toffee Cinnamon Rolls if you're craving that same buttery toffee flavor in breakfast form.
Why You'll Love This Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe
- Made with simple ingredients you likely already have, minus the medjool dates
- The cake itself is naturally moist thanks to the dates, no dry bites here
- Buttery toffee sauce comes together in one saucepan in about 2 minutes
- Texture is soft and tender, almost like a pudding cake, hence the name
- Great make ahead dessert for dinner parties or a cozy night in
- Freezes beautifully so you can save a slice (or the whole pan) for later
Ingredient Overview
Nothing fancy here, just a short list of ingredients that all pull their weight in this recipe.
- Medjool dates - the base of the batter, they add natural sweetness and moisture so the sponge never dries out.
- Hot water and baking soda - softens the dates and helps break them down into that jammy, applesauce-like texture.
- All purpose flour, baking powder, and salt - the dry mixture that gives the cake its structure.
- Dark brown sugar - deeper flavor than regular sugar, it plays well with the toffee notes.
- Unsalted butter - melted and cooled, for richness in both the cake and the sauce.
- Large eggs - room temperature, so they blend smoothly into the batter.
- Vanilla extract and molasses - molasses is the secret here, it deepens the flavor and gets you closer to a traditional English sticky date pudding.
- Heavy cream - for the toffee sauce, this is what gives it that glossy, pourable texture.
- Kosher salt - just a pinch in the sauce to balance all that sugar.
How to Make Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe
- Preheat your oven and prep a 9 inch cake pan with cooking spray and a parchment round on the bottom.
- Pour hot water over the chopped dates and stir in the baking soda, let that sit about 10 minutes until soft and jammy.
- Whisk your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) together in one bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the dark brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and molasses until smooth.
- Fold the softened date mixture into the wet ingredients, then fold in the dry ingredients just until combined
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, checking a few minutes early since a wider pan bakes faster.
- While the cake cools slightly, make your toffee sauce on the stove over medium heat.
- Poke the warm cake all over so the sauce soaks in, then pour half the toffee sauce on top before serving.
Common Mistakes
- Skipping the date soak. This step is what makes the cake so moist, don't rush it.
- Overmixing the batter once the flour goes in. This leads to a tougher, denser sponge instead of a tender one.
- Boiling the toffee sauce too long. It thickens fast once it cools so pull it off the heat as soon as it coats the back of a spoon.
- Using cold eggs. Room temperature eggs blend into the batter more evenly.
- Not poking enough holes in the cake before pouring the sauce. More holes means more sauce soaked into every bite.
Where Is Sticky Toffee Pudding Popular?
This is one of those desserts with genuinely debated origins, some trace it back to the Lake District in England in the 1970s, though the exact origins are argued over by food historians to this day. It's since become a beloved, popular dessert across England and has a huge following in Canada as well, especially in pubs and bakeries that lean into cozy, comforting menus. Wherever it started, it's earned its spot as a classic.
What Is the Toffee Sauce
The toffee sauce is really what makes this whole dessert. It's a simple mixture of unsalted butter, dark brown sugar, and heavy cream, melted together and brought to a gentle boil until it thickens slightly and turns glossy. A splash of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt at the end rounds it out. It's poured over the warm cake so it soaks into every bite, and any extra gets spooned on top when you serve it. This buttery toffee sauce is genuinely good enough to make on its own for ice cream sundaes.
What Are Some Tips for Making Sticky Toffee Pudding
- Use a fork to lightly mash the softened dates, a few small chunks are totally fine
- If you want a little warmth in the sponge, a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg is a nice addition, though it's not required
- Let your toffee sauce cool for a couple minutes before pouring, it thickens as it sits and will still be pourable
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, the contrast of warm cake and cold ice cream is the whole point
- Double the toffee sauce if you're the type who wants extra on every slice, no judgment here
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the questions I get asked most about this recipe.
- Can I make this ahead of time? Yes, bake the cake and make the sauce a day ahead, then reheat both before serving.
- Do I have to use medjool dates? Medjool dates are softer and sweeter, but regular dates will work in a pinch.
- Can I make this in a different size pan? Yes, just keep an eye on bake time since a wider pan bakes faster than a smaller one.
- Is this the same as sticky date pudding? Yes, sticky toffee pudding and sticky date pudding are basically the same dessert, just different names depending on where you're from.
- Can I make individual portions? Absolutely, divide the batter into ramekins and reduce the bake time accordingly.
Storing and Freezing
To store this cake, let it cool completely then keep it covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store the toffee sauce separately in an airtight container in the fridge, and gently rewarm both before serving so the cake stays soft and the sauce stays pourable.
This sticky toffee pudding recipe also freezes really well. Wrap the cooled, un-sauced cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Freeze the toffee sauce separately in a freezer safe container. When you're ready to serve, thaw both in the fridge overnight, then warm the cake in the oven and the sauce on the stove before pouring it on top.
FOR MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS ONE, HERE ARE SOME OF MY PICKS!
- No Bake Triple Chocolate Cream Pie
- Pumpkin Vanilla Chai Cake
- Greatest and Best Dark Chocolate Toffee Blondies
- Pumpkin Chai Sticky Toffee Pudding (Date Cake)
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Recipe
Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup 170 g Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
- ¾ cup 180 ml boiling water
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1¼ cups 150 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup 100 g packed dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup 75 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon molasses
For the toffee sauce
- ½ cup 115 g unsalted butter
- 1 cup 200 g packed brown sugar
- 1 cup 240 ml heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). With cooking spray, spray the sides and bottom of a 9inch cake pan (or 9inch square pan) and line the bottom with parchment paper, and spray again.
- Place the dates in a bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Stir in the baking soda and let sit 10 minutes to soften. Mash lightly with a fork (a few small chunks are okay). The dates should have started to absorb the water and somewhat resemble applesauce.1 cup 170 g Medjool dates, pitted and chopped, ¾ cup 180 ml boiling water, ½ tsp baking soda
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.1¼ cups 150 g all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt
- In another bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and molasses until well combined.½ cup 100 g packed dark brown sugar, ⅓ cup 75 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 teaspoon molasses
- Fold the softened date mixture (including any remaining liquid) into the wet ingredients. Then fold in the dry ingredients until just combined - don't overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Since you're using a 9-inch pan (wider than the original 8-inch), the batter will be a bit thinner, so start checking closer to 25 minutes.
- Let the pudding cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring it to a large plate or cake plate. Let it sit and start making the toffee sauce.
For the toffee sauce
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with brown sugar and heavy cream. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly, until smooth and slightly thickened, 2 minutes (the sauce should coat the back of a spoon).½ cup 115 g unsalted butter, 1 cup 200 g packed brown sugar, 1 cup 240 ml heavy cream
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt. The sauce will continue to thicken slightly as it cools. Pinch of salt1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, Pinch of salt
To serve
- Poke the warm cake all over with a skewer or fork so the sauce can soak in. Pour half of the toffee sauce on top.
- Slice the cake and serve warm with the remaining sauce spooned over each piece, plus whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.Optional: vanilla ice cream
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