If there's one item I simply can’t resist on any dessert menu, it's sticky toffee pudding. Devilishly sweet and deliciously decadent, it puts a big smile on my face for the rest of the day.
Still, while I've had a fair few good restaurant versions of this classic British dessert, nothing beats making it for yourself! My homemade sticky toffee pudding recipe is the perfect example.
The proof is in the pudding... and the pudding is utterly irresistible!
Why you'll love this sticky toffee pudding recipe
- It's deliciously decadent
- Follow the recipe and it'll be a cinch
- There are lots of variations, meaning you can adapt it to your personal tastes
- It's the perfect show-stopping dessert for a dinner party
Equipment needed
There are a few special items you'll need for this sticky toffee pudding:
- 9 x 13-inch baking dish – the key to any good sticky toffee pudding is the baking dish. For me, this is the perfect size
- Mixing bowl – an essential item for any home baker
- Balloon whisk – a classic balloon whisk is needed to get a smooth cake batter
How to make sticky toffee pudding
Get all your ingredients together.
Soak the dates in hot water and baking soda.
When the dates are soft, transfer everything to a food processor.
Blend until smooth, then set aside.
Place the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.
Whisk until the mixture becomes light and creamy.
Add the eggs.
Whisk. At the point the mixture starts separating.
Add the smooth date mixture.
Blend until well incorporated. Yes, it will split a bit.
Gently mix in the flour. This is where the mixture comes together.
Grease a baking tin.
Transfer the batter to a baking tin.
Bake until cooked and golden.
Meanwhile, make the toffee sauce.
Place the cream, butter and sugar in a pot.
Melt the sugar over a gentle heat and stir until everything is dissolved.
A rich, brown, gooey toffee sauce will form.
Remove the tin from the oven and pour over the toffee sauce when the sponge is baked. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then serve immediately with ice cream or custard. Enjoy!
What to serve with sticky toffee pudding
Classic Pairings
- With Toffee Sauce: Drizzle the warm toffee sauce generously over the pudding.
- Ice Cream: Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delightful contrast of warm pudding and cold ice cream.
- Crème Fraîche: A dollop of crème fraîche adds a tangy, creamy element that balances the sweetness.
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Fruity Accompaniments
- Fresh Berries: Serve with a side of fresh berries such as raspberries or strawberries for a burst of freshness.
- Caramelized Bananas: Top with caramelized bananas for an extra layer of flavor.
- Chopped Nuts: Sprinkle with chopped toasted pecans or walnuts for added texture and flavor.
- Granola: A sprinkle of granola can add a delightful crunch.
Extra Sauces:
- Chocolate Sauce: Drizzle a bit of warm chocolate sauce over the pudding for a rich, decadent twist.
- Caramel Sauce: In addition to the toffee sauce, a drizzle of caramel sauce can enhance the sweetness. You could also bake in a bundt pan and add corn syrup, or golden syrup on top.
Beverage Pairings:
- Coffee: A cup of strong coffee or espresso complements the rich flavors of the pudding.
- Tea: A robust black tea or spiced chai can balance the dessert’s sweetness.
- Dessert Wine: Pair with a dessert wine like a sweet sherry or port for an indulgent treat.
Variations to this recipe
- Add Chocolate Chips: Fold ½ cup chocolate chips into the batter before baking for a chocolatey twist.
- Chocolate Sauce: Replace the toffee sauce with a chocolate sauce by heating ⅔ cup heavy cream with ½ cup chocolate chips until smooth.
- Add Nuts: Add ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter for a nutty texture.
- Add Fruit: Fold in ½ cup chopped dried apricots, apples, or pears into the batter for a fruity variation.
- Add Spices: Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves to the flour mixture for a spiced version.
- Add Ginger: Fold in ¼ cup finely chopped crystallized ginger into the batter and add 1 teaspoon ground ginger to the flour mixture.
- Salted Toffee Sauce: Add a pinch of sea salt to the toffee sauce for a salted caramel flavor.
- Gluten-Free Flour: Substitute self-rising flour with a gluten-free baking blend. Ensure it contains a leavening agent or add 2 teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt.
Popular substitutions
- Margarine or Plant-Based Butter: You can substitute the butter with margarine or a plant-based butter for a dairy-free option.
- Raisins or Dried Figs: If dates are not available, you can use raisins or dried figs. Soak them in boiling water and follow the same steps as for the dates.
- All-Purpose Flour with Baking Powder: If you don't have self-rising flour, use 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour mixed with 2 teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Coconut Cream: For a dairy-free toffee sauce, replace heavy cream with coconut cream.
What is sticky toffee pudding?
Known as sticky date pudding in Australia, sticky toffee pudding is a classic British dessert made from a dark and dense date-flavored sponge cake covered inauce. It is often served with custard, ice cream, a rich toffee s or whipped cream.
Where does sticky toffee pudding come from?
Like many classic dishes, sticky toffee puddings have an origin story that is fiercely contested by food historians. The story is as sticky as the beloved dessert itself.
One narrative suggests that the classic dessert was the brainchild of a passionate pudding maker in a Canadian hotel. However, other claims point to Scotland, whiching the dessert as early as 1967, and Yorkshire, England, where a legend has it, Millington, introduced the sweet-toothed sensation to Aberdeenshire boasted of serv that a landlady at the Gait Inn the menu as far back as 1907.
However, the most likely origin seems to be Cumbria, which is in the north of England. The region is famous for the lush landscapes of The Lake District. The tiny village of Cartmel has become the gatekeeper to the famous pudding, creating The Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding Company in 1984.
What are the best dates to use for sticky toffee pudding?
For this recipe, I used pitted Medjool dates. Sticky toffee pudding requires a date with a sweet caramel taste, which makes Medjool dates perfect.
Dates are native to Morocco. Their chewy texture and rich flavortastic baking ingredient. You can use other types of dates, although Medjool is the best for me make them a fan.
How do you store sticky toffee pudding?
At Room Temperature:
The sticky toffee pudding can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
In the Refrigerator:
Store the pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Can you freeze sticky toffee pudding?
To Freeze:
Allow the pudding to cool completely. To prevent freezer burn, tightly wrap individualin plastic wrap or aluminum foil portions or the entire pudding. Place the wrapped pudding in a freezer-safe container or zip-top freezer bag.
The toffee sauce can also be frozen. Let it cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or zip-top freezer bag.
Freeze both the pudding and the sauce for up to 3 months.
To Thaw:
Thaw the pudding and sauce in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
How do you reheat sticky toffee pudding?
In the Oven:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the pudding in an oven-safe dish and cover with aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out. Reheat for about 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
Reheat the toffee sauce in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until warm and smooth.
In the Microwave:
For individual portions, place the pudding on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap. Microwave on medium power for 1-2 minutes or until heated through.
Reheat the toffee sauce in a microwave-safe bowl covered with a microwave-safe lid or plastic wrap. Microwave on medium power for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until warm and smooth.
Serving:
Once reheated, serving the warm pudding with the reheated toffee sauce is a simple and delightful process. Optionally, add a scoop of crème fraîche or ice cream for extra indulgence.
More delicious classic dessert recipes
Once you made this sticky toffee sensation, delve into the delights of some more old school desserts:
- Key lime cheesecake pie – a pure American classic
- Gooseberry cobbler – a light and flavorsome traditional English pudding, serve gooseberry cobbler with a dollop or two of ice cream and you'll be in heaven
- Banoffee cheesecake – gloriously tasty from the buttery biscuit base to the creamy filling and luscious topping
- Black forest gateaux – an old fashioned northern European favorite, this is decadent and oh so satisfying
- Cranachan – the famous Scottish boozy dessert is creamy, fruity and delicious!
📖 Recipe
Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 portions 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Indulge in the ultimate comfort dessert with this Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe, featuring a rich, moist cake drenched in rich toffee sauce.
Ingredients
For the pudding
- 1 cup pitted Medjool dates, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup lightly salted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- â…“ cup milk
- 1 ½ cups self-rising flour, plus extra for dusting
For the toffee sauce
- â…” cup heavy cream
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- â…“ cup lightly salted butter
Instructions
- Prepare the Dates: Pour â…” cup boiling water over the chopped dates and baking soda. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and mash with a fork until smooth.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and line the base with parchment paper. Alternatively, you can use 6 individual ¾-cup ramekins – butter and lightly flour them before lining the bases with circles of parchment paper.
- Make the Batter: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with both the dark and light brown sugars until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the milk and the date mixture, mixing well after each addition. (The mixture might look split, but it will come together when you add the flour.)
- Sift in the self-rising flour and fold gently to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish or ramekins, smoothing the top.
- Bake: Bake for 35 minutes for the large dish, or 25 minutes for the individual ramekins, or until the pudding is golden and risen. If a wooden skewer comes out clean, it’s cooked through.
- Prepare the Toffee Sauce: While the pudding is baking, gently heat the heavy cream, dark brown sugar, and butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently until the mixture is smooth and combined.
- Finish and Serve: As soon as the pudding is done, remove it from the oven and spoon half of the warm toffee sauce over the top. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- If using a large dish, cut the pudding into 8 pieces. Serve warm, with the remaining sauce on the side. You can optionally serve with crème fraîche or ice cream. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 509
- Sugar: 38.4 g
- Sodium: 187.9 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5.2 g
- Cholesterol: 124.1 mg
Renil M. George
Holy shit is that toffee pudding?
Nicole
Hi Michelle,
I have one more question for you. I'm just getting around to looking at the actual measurements of the ingredients and it seems like some pretty small amounts. Less than a cup of flour and only a quarter stick of butter? I know the recipe says it serves 6, though. Does the sponge increase in volume while cooking? I'm serving 4 and wondering if I should double the recipe. It just doesn't seem like it will make a lot of batter.
Michelle
The ramekins I used are pretty standard ones. More or less the equivalent of these: http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=ramekins&oe=utf-8&cid=6426548824819618748&ei=O4ZOTfU2zav4Bvj5of0D&sa=title&ved=0CBkQ8wIwBDgA#p. Please do let me know how you get on!
Nicole
Definitely making this next weekend! What size ramekins did you use?
Philipp Bender
Black treacle = blackstrap molasses (sugar cane!)
Michelle
Angie: I might be wrong but if you make the sauce ahead, keep it separate from the sponge and reheat it gently later (stir frequently), it won't spoil.
Angie
I want to make sticky toffee pudding for a lunch at someone elses house, I will need to make it at home and then take it round to be heated up latet, what would be the best way to do it as I don't want the sauce to spoil when re-heated
Michelle
Harding: A large baking dish will do. A word of warning though. The cooking time might be longer so do check the centre with a toothpick to see if the pudding is cooked through. Good luck and enjoy!
harding
i need to make sticky toffee puding for about 20, not enough ramikans mabe bake in large dish?and tripple up ingregeants
Alison
Hi
Made this recipe on Saturday. It was without doubt the nicest sticky toffee pudding I've had and even my partner (who usually can't be persuaded to have dessert) had one. Thanks for the recipe and I can confirm it really easy to make. Btw didn't have demerara sugar so used soft dark sugar for both parts of recipe, was delicious so not sure what difference that would have made.
Jinny
Custard recipe: Just follow the instructions on the Bird's custard container. LEVEL tablespoon measurements. If using and English recipe note that an Imperial pint is 20 fluid ounces. U.S. pint is 16 fl. ozs.
jean
;);););););)
bob
First time returning from England and totally fell in love with this dessert, nothing better in the world, but could use a receipe on making the custard just the right consistency.
Michelle
Alex: You can bake the mixture in a big dish and after the allotted cooking time, just check if it's cooked in the middle by using a toothpick and seeing if it comes out dry. It might need to bake for a little bit longer. Personally, I would just use a teaspoon and have a nibble to test. No one will notice if you're going to drizzle sauce over it. 🙂
alex
Hi, I was wondering if this recipe would work if you just put the whole mixture in one oven dish instead of individual ramekins? Its doubtful but i want to make a sticky toffee pudding for a meal im goin to but i dont have any ramekins...
Christine C
Has anyone tried to freeze this pudding and serve at a later date, without the topping of course, and if so did it work out well. I want to make it in an oblong oven proof dish.
ANNIE R.
ITS AMAZING TO ME THAT WHEN AN OUTSTANDING RECIPE IS GIVEN - SOMEONE IMMEDIATELY WRITES IN TO ASK IF THEY CAN CHANGE I T, BY SUBSTITUTING SOME OTHER INGREDIENT!!........
Michelle
Charlie: Most of the sugars, if not all, I used in this dessert were from Tate & Lyle.
Charlie
Can I do this with Tate and Lyle instead?
Jeanne
Sticky toffee pudding is one of my favourites - I remember having the Woollies version back home many years ago and falling in love. I make an apple-caramel pudding which is similar, but have never attempted my own sticky toffee pudding. Isn't black treacle somethign else? What I found it reminded me of were those black-wrappered Wilson's toffees!!
Ciel
Love, love, love Sticky Toffee Pudding... Would it be wrong of me to make it (and only it) for dinner? 😉
Rachel
Oh no, this one looks too stickily decadent to resist! There's nothing like a classic British pudding and this recipe takes the cake 🙂
amy
looks stickingly good:)
Ninette
Wow, this looks absolutely decadent!