Fluffy treacle and date sponge topped with a lusciously rich toffee sauce. One of my absolute favourite desserts of all time.
There’s no way you’re leaving the table without having two servings of this ultimate British dessert.
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If you go to any English restaurant, you're more than likely to see at least one of the following traditional puds on the menu:
- Apple pie and custard/cream
- Chocolate fudge cake and ice cream
- Sticky toffee pudding and custard
- Eton Mess
It probably sounds like I'm complaining at the lack of variety or imagination, but I'm not!
I'd gladly eat any one of those gorgeous desserts, and I'm pretty sure I'd still choose one of them even if there was a huge dessert menu with lots of choice.
Sticky toffee pudding is definitely the one I go for most often. Sometimes it arrives looking all posh - sliced into a thin sliver, topped with a little wedge of some kind of brittle, and served with a perfect quenelle of ice cream.
That's all very nice, but I much prefer it when it's clearly been baked in a big batch, scooped up with a serving spoon, plonked in a bowl and almost drowned in custard. You know, the old-fashioned way, like our grandparents served it.
It's actually really easy to make at home, and making it at home, means you can make enough to serve everybody seconds. Of course everybody has seconds when it comes to sticky toffee pud!
It's a lovely, light sponge, with loads of flavour, and that sticky toffee sauce is so moreish!!
📋 What do we need?
For the 'cake part':
For the sticky toffee sauce:
How to make it
Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Soak the dates in water for 10 minutes.
- Beat together butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and treacle, then stir in flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and milk.
- Mush up the dates that are soaking in the water, then add to the cake mixture (including any liquid in the bowl). Stir together.
- Spoon the mixture into a buttered baking dish and place in the oven for 25-35. minutes, until the sponge is cooked through.
- Make the toffee sauce by heating sugar, butter and cream in a pan, until combined. Then bring to the boil, turn off the heat, and stir in treacle and more cream.
- Remove the cake from the oven and pour over half of the toffee sauce. Serve with the remaining sauce.
👩🍳PRO TIP Tastes just as good warmed up in the microwave (in portions) – so it’s a great make-ahead dessert.
👩🍳PRO TIP 2 Add ½ tsp salt to the toffee sauce for a Sticky Salted Toffee Pudding 😋
🍽️ What to serve it with
- Homemade Custard
- Ice Cream (try my no-churn cereal milk ice cream)
- Lashings of double cream
I love mine with custard, Chris loves his with ice cream, and the kids will have both if I let them!!
What would you serve yours with?
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Sticky Toffee Pudding
Ingredients
Sticky Toffee Pudding:
- 150 g (approx ⅔ cup) Medjool dates - , pitted and finely chopped
- 150 ml (½ cup + 2 tbsp) boiling water
- 90 g (6 tbsp) unsalted butter - softened
- 120 g (⅔ cup) soft brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp black treacle
- 190 g (1.5 cups + 1 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 pinch salt
- 120 ml (½ cup) full fat milk
Toffee sauce:
- 175 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) light muscovado sugar
- 60 g (½ cup) unsalted butter - cut into pieces
- 240 ml (1 cup) double (heavy) cream
- 1 tbsp black treacle
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare your baking dish by lightly buttering it. I use a 12inch x 7 inch dish (2.5 inch deep), but a 9inch square dish will also work.
- Add the dates and water to a bowl. Leave to soak for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, use a fork to squish the dates (don’t drain).
- Preheat the oven to 170C/325F
- Beat together the butter and sugar until creamy, then mix in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla extract and treacle.
- Add the half the flour, the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and half the milk. Stir gently to combine, then add in the remaining flour and milk. Stir again until just combined.
- Add the mushed up date mixture (including the liquid). Stir, then spoon into the prepared baking dish.
- Cook in the oven for 25-35 minutes until firm on top.
- About 10 minutes before the cake is ready, make the toffee sauce. Place the sugar and butter in a medium saucepan with half the cream.
- Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring all the time, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Stir in the black treacle, turn up the heat slightly and let the mixture bubble for 2-3 mins until it turns to a light-brown toffee colour. Stir it occasionally to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the rest of the cream. Put to one side.
- Take the sponge out of the oven and pour half of the toffee sauce over the sponge.
- Serve with the remaining toffee sauce.
Video
✎ Notes
You can store the remaining sauce, covered, in the fridge too. Reheat in portions, uncovered, in the microwave, until piping hot. It should take about 30-45 seconds per piece. Reheat the remaining sauce in a pan, until piping hot. Can I freeze it? Yes, this dessert freezes well. Freeze, covered, in individual portions, Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as per the instructions above. The sauce can also be covered and frozen, then defrosted and reheated in a pan until piping hot. Ingredient swaps
- Swap the dates for raisins
- Add a splash of rum to the water when soaking the dates (or raisins) for a boozy addition.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of chopped roasted hazelnuts to the cake mixture for a nutty flavour.
Nutrition
This post was first published in August 2017. Updated September 2021 with new photos, a couple of tweaks to the recipes and a bit of housekeeping.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
E says
Excited to try out this recipe! Can I use gluten free all purpose flour instead? And should I alter the baking time if I'm using a 9x9 square dish? Thanks!
Lesley says
Have made this twice now will have to resist making it too often as it tastes of restaurant quality and I have a sweet tooth. It looks complicated but is actually really straightforward.
Peter says
First time I've made stp , the recipe was perfect
Pat Ward says
Can I leave out the dates In your recipe? I would like to make this for my granddaughters, but one can’t eat dates? Many thanks
Pat Ward
Nicky Corbishley says
Sorry Pat, I haven't tried it without the dates, but they are quite an integral part of of the recipe - to add flavour, texture and sweetness.
I think you could swap for chopped prunes or chopped raisins or sultanas though.
Hannah says
Can not fault this recipe. Simple to make and the outcome is amazing. Best sticky toffee pudding I’ve ever had!
Carol says
I absolutely love this recipe. My first attempt to make the toffee puddding was a great success!!! What a perfect pudding for a winter evening. Delish with custard or ice-cream. A big hit... Thank you!!
Darren says
Light and very tasty. This will be my go to recipe from now on.
Susan says
This was an amazing dessert for our New Years Dinner. My husband misses dishes from his home, so I try and make him treats often. This was even great on Day 3!!
Karen says
I made this delicious dessert for friends and family.....the smell was as you said divine.....everyone really enjoyed it
My husband said please buy that dessert again that's the best sticky toffee pudding I've ever eaten! He couldn't believe I'd made it! Your recipe was so easy to follow with excellent step by step instructions, plus love your demonstrations.....now going to make a lot more of your fabulous recipes....
Gary Dunleavy says
Made this tonight and it was outstandingly delicious, I left it to cool for 1/2 hour out of the oven and served with ice cream was an instant hit with the rest of the family
Adie HODGSON says
Made this yesterday and it's to die for, really delicious.
Katy says
This is my husbands favourite dessert, worth every calorie😋
Cumbria Boy says
How funny, I'm subscribed here for a year or more and always assumed it was an american blog! Icecream for me please.
Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry says
This looks like the perfect pudding. My son loves this dessert so I will be sure to make it for him
Nicky Corbishley says
Thanks Bintu, I hope he loves it too 🙂
Michaela says
Oooh I can't wait to try this - I'm thinking possible Xmas day dessert? (I know it's a way off but always good to plan ahead) Can I ask, did you use salted or unsalted butter? Thanks for another great recipe!