This sticky toffee cake is sweetened mostly with dates, moist and fluffy with an easy and rich toffee sauce poured on top. It’s extra special and made easily in one pan!
What is sticky toffee cake?
Also known as sticky toffee pudding, this is actually one of my favorite desserts. It’s decadent and over the top, a classic British dessert consisting of a date infused cake with a hot toffee sauce poured on top.
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to round it off and you’ve got yourself a sensation. This is commonly served in restaurants because it’s such a wow dessert, but it’s so easy to make at home!
Why add dates to cake?
Date’s are nature’s candy with a taste that has more than a little resemblance to caramel or toffee, two of my favorite flavors. Even if you don’t like dates, I can’t see you not liking this dessert.
The dates are briefly soaked in hot water with some baking soda to break them down, and folded into the cake batter.
They basically melt down into a golden sweetness that just deepens the flavor of the cake sponge. You can keep them as chunky or as smooth as you like, depending on if you want bits of dates throughout.
What makes this cake so good?
It’s moist and fluffy at the same time. It’s sweet and complex with the flavor of dates. Stores very well too!
The best part is when the cake comes out of the oven and is poked all over and warm toffee sauce is poured on top to moisten the whole cake and infuse it with that beautiful toffee flavor.
It’s a dessert that manages to be homey and elegant at the same time and will leave you licking your fingers!
What goes into this sticky date cake?
I took a recipe of Nigella Lawson’s, that got rated very well and made it a couple times. The first time, I used molasses as a substitute for the black treacle she uses. It was dark and intense and delicious.
The second time, I used honey because I wanted this cake to consist of ingredients I always have in my pantry- I don’t always have molasses, and it can be hard to find in the Middle East.
The honey made this cake lighter and more fragrant. It was lovely! I will say use either interchangeably .
I also reduced the amount of butter and sugar in Nigella’s original toffee sauce slightly. It was still as decadent as ever, so I’m happy with that change.
I also added a pinch of cardamom which goes SO well with dates, but you can feel free to leave that out.
The sticky toffee pudding cake base:
Dates: are first softened with hot water and baking soda, which breaks down their more fibrous parts.
Eggs: Use room temperature so they incorporate more easily into the batter
Butter: Room temperature
Honey or Molasses
Dark Brown Sugar: I used this in place of the dark muscovado sugar Nigella uses, because it’s what I had on hand. It has a richer flavor and color than light brown sugar.
Flour, plenty of baking powder for fluffiness, and a hint of salt.
The sauce ingredients:
Butter:
Plenty of Dark Brown Sugar
Honey or Molasses
Heavy cream ( whipping cream).
It’s a very easy sauce to make. The butter and sugar need to melt together and dissolve at which point the heavy cream is added. Once it boils, the sauce comes off the stove at which point it’ll thicken very nicely.
Store extra sauce in the fridge, and just microwave a few seconds to get it hot and loose again.
To serve:
Serve with extra toffee sauce for those so incline , and something to cut the sweetness. This can be good quality vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream. Serve the cake warm, after the cake has had its 20 minute soaking time! Your guests will be enthralled.
To store:
Store any leftovers (yeah, what are those?) tightly covered with foil in the fridge. To eat, just warm up in the microwave , and also microwave any extra sauce for topping if desired.
The Best Sticky Toffee Pudding
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 200 g soft pitted dried dates, roughly chopped
- 200 ml boiling water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 75 g unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon honey (or molasses)
- 50 g dark brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 150 g flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the toffee sauce:
- 125 g unsalted butter
- 200 g dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey or molasses
- 200 ml heavy whipping cream
- pinch sea salt flakes for sprinkling, optional
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Lightly grease a 9×9 inch baking dish.
- Place dates in a bowl, and pour boiling water on top. Add baking soda and stir to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Cream the butter and honey together in a stand mixer until well combined. Add the brown sugar and mix until combined and no lumps remain. Add one egg and beat until well incorporated, then repeat with the second egg
- Reducing the speed of the stand mixer, add the flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom if using. Stir until combined and a thick smooth batter forms. Add in the dates with any of their remaining water and fold in until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth out the top with a spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Make the sauce while cake is in the oven.
To make the toffee sauce:
- Combine the butter, honey and sugar in a saucepan over low heat, and stir gently until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved. Add the whipping cream, increase the heat to medium and bring sauce to a boil. Once it has started to bubble remove from the heat.
- As soon as the cake is out of the oven, poke it all over with a toothpick or skewer, creating small holes. Pour about 1/4 of the warm toffee sauce all over the cake surface until it has an even glaze across the top. Let cake stand 20-30 minutes to soak in the sauce, then sprinkle with sea salt if desired, and serve.
- Serve with the remaining toffee sauce on the side, and vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
Nutrition
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Did you make this? Tag @everylittlecrumb or hashtag #everylittlecrumb and I’ll share your images! Don’t forget to pin for later!
Alisa Infanti says
Sticky toffee pudding is one of my absolute favourite desserts. I love how this is served in a glass dish which makes it so much more portable than my crockpot version!
Farah Abumaizar says
But that crockpot version sounds amazing !!
Mindy Fewless says
This is what dessert dreams are made of!!! Thank you for this recipe!
Farah Abumaizar says
You are more than welcome
Toni says
This was really a huge hit at my house!
Farah Abumaizar says
So glad to hear it!
Erin says
This cake is so good! The toffee sauce on top of the cake is the perfect topping on this sweet treat.
Farah Abumaizar says
Absolutely!!
Charla says
Sticky toffee pudding is a classic British dessert over here. I must admit it’s my weakness with custard and those pictures look very appetising btw.
Farah Abumaizar says
Oh thank you Charla!!
Camila Toscana Rodriguez says
Hi!! When do you add the dates into the batter?? It seems like that step is missing in the process.
Farah Abumaizar says
Oh my goodness I can’t believe I missed that, thanks Camila! You add the dates with their water as the last part of the batter after adding the dry ingredients and flour. I hope you love this!
MARISA says
I had this for the first time years ago in Dublin and I’ve been wanting to make it at home because it’s sooo good! THis one looks amazing!
Farah Abumaizar says
Thanks Marisa!! It’s a big hit with my family I hope you try and like it!
Cliona says
Oooo my other half is a sticky toffee pudding obsessive so this will definitely be one to try!
Farah Abumaizar says
I hope they love this!
Alina | Cooking Journey Blog says
Woa, toffee looks so rich and tasty, perfect to pair with morning coffee!
Dannii says
This is my favourite dessert ever. I am going to have to try this recipe.
Farah Abumaizar says
oh! you’ll have to let me know if you approve!
Michelle Miller says
What a treat! Great recipe to indulge! So creamy, I love it!
Farah Abumaizar says
Thanks Michelle! Definitely very indulgent ❤️
Jenna says
Yum! This looks so rich and decadent. I had no idea you could use dates like this.
Farah Abumaizar says
They just melt right into the batter and give this great caramel-y sweetness! Love them in here! Thanks Jenna!
raida jarrar says
Can you substitute gluten free flour?
Farah Abumaizar says
I’m sure you could maybe with a little xanthan gum? Haven’t tried it though so that could be something to experiment with!