Sticky Toffee Pudding

This is the BEST easy Sticky Toffee Pudding! Smothered in luscious toffee sauce, the date infused cake is satisfyingly tender and saucy with a not-too-cloying sweetness. Served warm, it’s completely irresistible and the perfect dessert for the holiday season.

Let’s kick off the holiday season with this gloriously luscious sticky toffee pudding. An extra rich, extra fudgy, toffee sauce-drenched, sweet cake that is perfect for this time of year.

As someone who loves to cook but not bake, and as someone who does not have a sweet tooth, it would be wise for you to listen when I tell you this dessert is brilliant. It will cause you zero baking frustration, it’s delicious, festive, easy and quick to make and everyone, I mean everyone, loves it.

You start by making a very simple cake that is loaded with jammy-sweet soaked dates. It bakes up fluffy, tender and spongey all at once. Straight out of the oven, the warm spongey cake is drizzled with toffee sauce so it soaks it all up, becoming delightfully gooey and moist on the inside.

For maximum indulgence, the cake pieces are drizzled with more toffee sauce when served, and a dollop of thick luscious cream, or vanilla ice cream, is not only delicious but will tone down the sweetness.

If you’re in need of a dessert for your Thanksgiving or Christmas feast that isn’t the usual pie, give this sticky toffee pudding a try. The turkey and green beans may not blow your guests minds, but I guarantee this sticky toffee pudding will.

What Is Sticky Toffee Pudding?

For starters, the word “pudding” in the name of this classic British dessert can be somewhat misleading because this isn’t a soft pudding as we know it. The term “pudding” is the generic word used for desserts in Britain.

This “pudding” is actually a dense (yet somehow light?), sticky, date-drenched cake that is doused with toffee sauce, not once but twice. The first application of toffee sauce is done as soon as the cake comes out of the oven which helps make it incredibly moist and sticky. Once served, the pudding is once again drizzled with toffee sauce to make it even gooey-er, stickier and utterly addictive.

There are no shortages of recipes for the best sticky toffee pudding. Some include extra spices, some are baked in individual moulds and some are baked in large baking dishes. But the simple base ingredients to make the cake—dates, butter, egg, flour, baking soda, and sugar—are present in every one. The addition of treacle (similar to molasses) and golden syrup is optional, but will add more warmth and depth of flavor to the cake.

The dates, which are boiled until jammy, are essential to lend moistness and sweet depth to the cake. If you aren’t a fan of dates, don’t worry, this does not taste like a date cake. 

This is an unapologetically sweet dessert, but the sweetness is deep, complex, and pleasant. Served warm during the cold weather months, I can’t think of another dessert that will bring you more comfort and joy.

The Origin

The exact origin of sticky toffee pudding, also known as sticky date pudding, is highly debated. A very popular storyline is that it was created by Francis Coulson, a British chef, who served his delectable creation at his Lake District restaurant, Sharrow Bay Country House, in the 1960s.

However, many believe that the original sticky toffee pudding recipe was handwritten by two Canadian pilots who passed it on to a hotel manager while lodging in nearby Lancashire. Regardless of its roots, there is no question the British popularized this dessert where it is much loved not only in England but throughout Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Scotland, and Ireland.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

CROWD-PLEASING – The word “crowd-pleasing” gets thrown around A LOT by us food bloggers. But if there ever was a place to use it, it’s here. Sticky toffee pudding is a classic that has never gone out of fashion—for good reason. Kids love it, adults love it, non-dessert people like me love it.

MAKE-AHEAD – When you’re hosting a big dinner, aren’t those two words music to your ears? The date sponge cake can be made a day or two in advance, and the toffee sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. Sticky toffee pudding must be served warm (no compromise) but you can easily heat it in the oven or microwave (instructions included in post).

EASILY DOUBLED – Hosting a large crowd? This is the perfect dessert for you. Simply double all the ingredients (including the sauce!) and you will bring a lot of joy to 12-14 people.

FESTIVE AND ELEGANT YET RIDICULOUSLY EASY – Glistening from the sticky toffee sauce that cascades down the sides, this is an elegant and festive dessert that couldn’t be easier to prepare.

Recipe Ingredients And Notes

The ingredients needed for the cake are shown in the photo to the left. On the right, are the ingredients needed for the toffee sauce.

• Dates: You will need about 11-12 large dates for this recipe. The dates are pitted, chopped, then quickly boiled and mashed before being added to the cake batter. They are essential for adding the sticky caramel texture that is characteristic of a sticky toffee date pudding. I like to use Mejdool dates which are always soft, plump and delicious.
• Baking soda and baking powder: Interestingly, the baking soda is added to the boiling dates which helps break down the dates and soften their skins. The baking powder is added to the cake mix to give it volume and lightness.
• Eggs: You will need 2 eggs for the cake mix.
• Sugar: For the cake, I use light brown sugar but feel free to use white sugar, if you prefer. For the toffee sauce, however, I recommend using brown sugar. I like to use Muscovado sugar—a less refined cane sugar with natural notes of molasses— which gives it a deep, rich caramel flavor. But any brown sugar will work such as regular light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. Since this is a special occasion dessert for us, I will often splurge and buy this one which is a not as dark as other Muscovado sugars.
• Black treacle: Similar to molasses but sweeter and perhaps less intense, black treacle adds a depth of flavour and texture which I love in sticky toffee pudding. If you can’t find it, you can use molasses or omit it all together—the cake and sauce will still be delicious. See section below for where to buy black treacle.
• Golden syrup: Also known as light treacle, golden syrup is a thick, amber-coloured syrup that is sweeter than sugar. Similar in consistency to honey, golden syrup has a more caramel-like, buttery flavor which makes it a great addition to the cake as well as the rich toffee sauce. Like treacle, you only add a small amount so it is not crucial or essential to the success of the dessert. If you can’t find it, simply omit it.
• Butter: You will need unsalted butter for both the cake and the toffee sauce. There is a lot of butter in this dessert, but remember this is a special occasion dessert.
• Flour: For this recipe, you will need all-purpose flour.
• Salt: Most sticky toffee pudding recipes include salt in the cake but I also like to add salt to the toffee sauce which balances the sweetness. I add enough that I can taste it, but not so much that it will taste like salty caramel—though there would be nothing wrong with that 🙂
• Heavy cream: For making the toffee sauce.

Where Can I Buy Black Treacle And Golden Syrup?

Though not essential to make a great sticky toffee pudding, both of these ingredients will add more flavor and complexity to the dessert. The cans are not very expensive (about $5.99 CAD) and will last a long time.

If you live in the UK, these will be easy to find as they are ingredients used in many desserts. In the US and Canada, you can easily buy these online, Walmart, or small specialty stores.

If you live in my area (Kitchener-Waterloo, you can find golden syrup at Walmart, and both treacle and golden syrup here.

Best Pan To Make Sticky Toffee Pudding

Sticky toffee pudding is often baked in ramekins, or a muffin pan, because individual puddings look a little more elegant when served. For this recipe, you would need 6 (6-ounce) ramekins or you could also use a 12-cup muffin pan.

Most of the time, I bake the pudding in a standard baking dish (8×8 square pan or similar) because I find it a little easier than dealing with individual ramekins. When baked in one pan, you can also slice the serving pieces a little smaller to serve more people.

I have seen the cake baked in a Bundt pan but I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t report on whether the cake is easy to un-mould. (Will try and test soon and report back.)

Whatever pan(s) you use, make sure to grease lightly with butter, covering the sides and bottom.

How To Make Sticky Toffee Pudding

Here is an overview of the recipe with some visual instructions. The complete instructions and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Add chopped dates to a small saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda (it will bubble up!). Set aside to allow the dates to soften and cool slightly.

Using a stand mixer, or a hand mixer, beat the sugar and butter until fluffy and lighter in color (it may not get too fluffy because there isn’t a lot of butter—that’s ok). Add eggs in one at a time. Add the vanilla, golden syrup and black treacle (if using). NOTE: At this point, the mixture may curdle a little which is fine. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.  

Use a fork to mash the warm, soft dates until there are no large pieces left (some un-mashed pieces are fine). Add the dates to the batter in the mixer bowl and mix on low until just combined. The mixture will be soft and slightly runny, but not to worry, it will bake up beautifully.

Pour the batter into your prepared pan(s) and bake in the middle of the oven until a tester comes out mostly clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on the pan you use but err on the side of caution and underbake it rather than overbake it. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

While the cake is baking, make the toffee sauce. Place all toffee sauce ingredients, except for cream, in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Whisk a few minutes until sugar is dissolved. Slowly add the heavy cream. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce is reduced and thickened slightly.

While the cake is still warm, poke some holes on top of the cake with a skewer. Pour about 1/3 of the toffee sauce over the cake, making sure it covers the whole surface. Let soak for 10-15 minutes. If cake is no longer warm when ready to serve, reheat in a 350ºF oven for about 10 minutes.

Cut the warm pudding into squares, or for a more rustic presentation simply scoop out pieces with a large spoon. Serve with an additional drizzle of sauce and a spoonful of whipped cream, ice cream, crème fraîche or Greek yogurt.

How To Make Sticky Toffee Pudding In Advance

The sticky toffee pudding will get fudgier and stickier as it sits which means it’s a great dessert to make ahead. Make-ahead desserts are life savers, particularly when you are hosting a big dinner.

To make this ahead, you will want to prepare both the cake (or individual puddings) and the sauce up to 2 days in advance. I recommend doubling the sauce so you have plenty to pour over the cake(s) when reheating.

Bake the cake(s) as directed. While still hot, poke holes in the cake(s) and drizzle generously over the top with toffee sauce. Once cooled, loosely cover the pudding with foil or plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for up to 1 day or chill for up to 2 days.

Store remaining toffee sauce in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

When ready to serve, warm the cake(s) in a preheated 350ºF oven until warm, about 12 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, reheat remaining sauce on the stovetop, stirring often, until very warm. Serve with generous drizzles of reheated sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage Tips

• Storing: The sticky toffee pudding can be stored, covered, at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Freezing: The baked sticky toffee pudding will freeze beautifully. I like to slice it into individual servings, then wrap each serving tightly with plastic wrap. Place the wrapped pieces in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.
• To Reheat Sliced Cake: If reheating just one piece of cake, reheat for 20-30 seconds in the microwave, or in a toaster oven for a few minutes. If reheating more than one piece, place pieces in a small baking sheet and reheat in a toaster oven or oven until warmed through.
• To Reheat the Toffee Sauce: Warm over medium-low heat on the stove, stirring often. Alternatively, warm in a microwave in 2 or 3, 30-second bursts on 50% power.

More Favorite Desserts