If you love a rich, moist cake drenched in buttery toffee sauce, this Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake is about to become your new favorite dessert! Made with naturally sweet Medjool dates, this classic British treat is surprisingly easy to make and perfect for special occasions or cozy nights in. Serve it warm with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or an extra drizzle of decadent toffee sauce, and watch it disappear in minutes!
What is Sticky Toffee Pudding?
My daughter Anna and I have been captivated by “The Great British Baking Show.” After watching, I tried my hand at a traditional British dessert called cherry bakewell tart and it turned out to be one of my go to recipes. Through the show, we also discovered that British “pudding” isn’t the same as American pudding. Traditionally, British puddings were steamed or boiled dishes, both sweet and savory. One delightful example is sticky toffee pudding, a moist cake drenched in luscious toffee sauce.
While often associated with British cuisine, sticky toffee pudding may have roots in Canada. Regardless of its origin, this dessert features a light, fragrant, and ultra-moist sponge cake topped with a glorious toffee sauce. It’s perfect served warm, perhaps with a dollop of coconut whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Why You’ll Love This Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake Recipe
This sticky toffee cake is a dream when it comes to entertaining because, like this frozen semifreddo with biscotti and cherries, it’s incredibly make-ahead friendly—bake it in advance and simply reheat it when you’re ready to serve. It’s also versatile, delicious whether warm, at room temperature, or even chilled. Plus, if you have dietary restrictions, this recipe is easily adaptable to be gluten-free, dairy-free, or even vegan without sacrificing flavor or texture. This classic British dessert is a great dish for the holidays, a dinner party or a weekend night in.
Ingredient Notes
Toffee Cake
- Medjool dates – These naturally sweet dates have a caramel like flavor and give the cake its signature moist texture and deep flavor. Be sure to pit and chop them before soaking.
- Baking soda – Helps soften the dates when combined with hot water and also contributes to the cake’s tender crumb.
- Unsalted butter (or plant butter) – Adds richness and helps create a soft, moist texture. Using plant butter makes this cake dairy-free.
- All-purpose flour (or gluten-free blend) – The base of the cake, giving it structure. A good gluten-free flour blend works well as a substitute.
- Aluminum-free baking powder – Ensures the cake rises evenly without any metallic aftertaste.
- Sea salt – Enhances the sweetness of the dates and balances the richness of the toffee sauce.
- Dark brown sugar – Provides deep, molasses-like sweetness. Light brown or coconut sugar can be used for a slightly different flavor.
- Unbleached cane sugar – Adds a touch of extra sweetness and helps create a delicate crust on the cake.
- Large eggs (or flax eggs) – Bind the ingredients together while adding moisture. If using flax eggs, let the mixture sit before adding for the right consistency.
- Pure vanilla extract – Adds warmth and depth to complement the caramel notes from the dates and brown sugar.
- Toffee Sauce – The star of the dish! A rich, buttery sauce that soaks into the cake and adds irresistible flavor. See ingredients and recipe below.
- Optional toppings – Whipped cream, sweetened crème fraîche, vanilla ice cream, or fresh fruit like blackberries or oranges all pair beautifully with the cake.
Homemade Toffee Sauce
- Brown sugar – The base of the sauce, giving it that deep, caramelized sweetness. Dark brown sugar will provide a richer flavor, while light brown sugar works for a slightly milder taste.
- Unsalted butter (or plant butter) – Adds creaminess and a velvety texture to the sauce. Using plant butter makes this dairy-free.
- Sea salt – A little salt enhances the toffee’s sweetness and balances the richness of the butter and sugar.
- Heavy cream (or full-fat coconut milk) – This gives the sauce its smooth, luscious consistency. Coconut milk is a great alternative for a dairy-free version while still maintaining a rich texture.
For exact ingredient amounts and instructions, see the printable recipe card below.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Toffee Cake
Step 1: Place chopped dates and baking soda in a medium heat-proof bowl. Pour 1 cup boiling water over them, ensuring they’re submerged. Let sit for 1 hour.
Step 2: Set oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper. Alternatively, use an 11×7-inch pan or an 8×8-inch pan, adjusting baking time as needed.
Step 3: Puree dates and soaking liquid in a food processor or blender until smooth. For a traditional texture, pulse until combined but slightly chunky.
Step 4: Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in sea salt.
Step 5: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream softened butter, dark brown sugar, and cane sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in pure vanilla extract.
Step 7: Alternately add date puree mixture and dry ingredients to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed..
Step 8: Pour cake batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 35-45 minutes, until golden brown and the top is set and springy. Avoid over baking. Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, poke several holes in the top with a thin skewer.
Step 9: Pour ½ cup warm toffee sauce over the cake. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Toffee Sauce
Step 10: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, butter, and sea salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until butter melts and sugar dissolves, forming a deep amber mixture.
Step 11: Carefully whisk in heavy cream. Simmer for 5 minutes until thick and glossy.
Step 12: Remove from heat. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Reheat before serving.
Expert Tips
- If dates are too sticky to chop, refrigerate them briefly.
- Blending the date mixture in a food processor until smooth creates a uniform batter, but if you prefer a more traditional, slightly chunky texture, pulse instead of blending fully.
- This cake should be moist and tender, not dry. Keep an eye on the top of the cake, and remove it from the oven when it’s set but still slightly springy.
- Poking small holes in the cake allows the rich toffee sauce to seep into every bite, making it even more delicious.
- If you love extra sauce (who doesn’t?), make a double batch and serve it on the side. It’s also fantastic drizzled over ice cream, roasted fruit, or even pancakes.
Serving Tips
This scrumptious dessert is best served warm with a generous drizzle of warm toffee sauce soaking into every bite. For an extra indulgent touch, add a dollop of whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a spoonful of sweetened crème fraîche to balance the sweetness.
If you’re serving this for a dinner party, consider adding segmented oranges for a pop of color. Serve alongside a coffee latte or turmeric latte and a bowl of fig and ginger chocolate truffles for an elegant touch.
Storage Tips
Keep the leftover cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. If you’d like to freeze it, let the cake cool uncovered until the sauce sets. Wrap in plastic wrap, place in a resealable bag, and freeze for up to 2 months.
To reheat, warm in a 300°F oven for about 20 minutes or microwave for 1-2 minutes. Reheat over medium heat in a saucepan or microwave in 30-second intervals at 50% power, stirring between intervals.
To make this recipe ahead of time, bake the cake and pour ½ cup toffee sauce over it while hot. Once cooled, cover with plastic wrap. Store remaining sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Recipe FAQs
I have not tested the recipe with every possible alternative product out there, so there may be some variation in the outcomes, but if you stick with the products that give you consistently good results, this dessert will be a success!
If your cake turned out dry, it was likely overbaked. This cake should be moist and tender, so keep an eye on it and remove it from the oven when the top is just set and slightly springy. Also, be sure to measure your flour correctly—too much flour can make the cake dense. Use the spoon-and-level method instead of scooping directly from the bag.
A sunken cake usually happens when the batter is underbaked or the oven door was opened too soon. Make sure your oven is properly preheated, and avoid opening the door before the cake has set (usually after the first 30 minutes).
Let the sauce simmer for a few extra minutes to thicken. It should be glossy and coat the back of a spoon.
Yes! You can bake this in an 8×8-inch pan, an 11×7-inch pan, or even a bundt pan for a showstopper look. If using individual ramekins or muffin tins, reduce the baking time and check for doneness after 20 minutes.
More Cake Recipes
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Easy Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ pound about 10-15 dates whole Medjool dates, pitted and chopped (refrigerate them if they are too sticky to chop easily; if the dates are already pitted, it’s about 7 ½ ounces)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 Tablespoons ½ stick unsalted butter or plant butter, softened, plus more for the pan
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour or your favorite gluten-free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar, light brown is fine too or if you prefer coconut sugar, that will work
- 2 Tablespoons unbleached cane sugar, aka granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature (flax eggs will work here but the mixture must sit for 15
- minutes before being added to the batter)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 recipe Toffee Sauce, see recipe in notes*
- Also to serve if you’re feeling festive: whipped cream, sweetened creme fraiche, vanilla ice
- cream, blackberries, segmented oranges or blood oranges
Instructions
- Place the dates and baking soda in a medium heat-proof bowl and pour 1 cup boiling water over them, making sure they are all submerged in water. Let them sit for 1 hour. Puree dates and soaking liquid in a food processor or blender. Another option: pulse them in a food processor until the mixture is combined but still has texture (if you want a little texture to your cake. This is more traditional.) Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees.
- Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter and line the bottom with unbleached parchment paper. You can also do this in an 11 x 7-inch pan and cook for a little less time or an 8 x 8.
- Sift the flour and baking powder over a large bowl. Stir in the salt.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Add the eggs and beat until well combined. Beat in the vanilla. Add the date puree and flour mixture, alternating each one, to the butter mixture, and combine well.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 35-45 minutes (35 minutes is perfect in my oven), until the cake is beautifully golden brown, and top is starting to set and feel springy. Do not cook to the point that the cake is firm.
- Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, EITHER poke several holes in the cake with a thin skewer and pour 1⁄2 cup of toffee sauce over the top OR do not poke with a skewer and just pour 1⁄2 cup sauce over the top of the cake. Let the cake rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Slice warm cake with the rest of the warm toffee sauce on the side.
- Serve with additional accompaniments, if desired. If you want to make the cake ahead, still pour sauce over immediately, but stick it under the broiler for a minute or two to warm the top of the cake. Do not let the toffee topping burn though.
Notes
- If dates are too sticky to chop, refrigerate them briefly.
- Blending the date mixture in a food processor until smooth creates a uniform batter, but if you prefer a more traditional, slightly chunky texture, pulse instead of blending fully.
- This cake should be moist and tender, not dry. Keep an eye on the top of the cake, and remove it from the oven when it’s set but still slightly springy.
- Poking small holes in the cake allows the rich toffee sauce to seep into every bite, making it even more delicious.
- If you love extra sauce (who doesn’t?), make a double batch and serve it on the side. It’s also fantastic drizzled over ice cream, roasted fruit, or even pancakes.
- Keep the leftover cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. If you’d like to freeze it, let the cake cool uncovered until the sauce sets. Wrap in plastic wrap, place in a resealable bag, and freeze for up to 2 months.
- To reheat, warm in a 300°F oven for about 20 minutes or microwave for 1-2 minutes. Reheat over medium heat in a saucepan or microwave in 30-second intervals at 50% power, stirring between intervals.
- To make this recipe ahead of time, bake the cake and pour ½ cup toffee sauce over it while hot. Once cooled, cover with plastic wrap. Store remaining sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Place the sugar, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. It should be a deep amber color.
- Carefully whisk in the cream, and simmer for 5 minutes or until the mixture is thick and glossy. This mixture can bubble up a lot, so choose a saucepan that is not too small.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
This cake is so AMAZING!! Perfect for a fancy Christmas dinner or to bring for Bunco.
( the toffee sauce is my fav on ice cream).
The recipe is not in the notes anymore though just fyi
Yay glad you love it! Thanks for the heads-up about the sauce. Fixing it now!
10 out of 5 ! : )
Made this with ease and could not stop indulging. YUM!!! wow this is good. the flavor screams toffee and as someone who is dairy free due to an allergy, I don’t get to enjoy toffee often. I love this recipe & think its a simple cake to make and impress with. I made the toffee caramel topping without butter since I was out & it was delicious and thick and perfect! I just did equal parts sugar and coconut milk.
Thank you for sharing Pamela, love love love you & your recipes!
yum yum!! So glad you loved it!
Hi Pamela! Excited to try this one GF!
BTW, I’ve learned that when we are out, the Brits also refer to any dessert as “Pudding” (we moved to the UK earlier this year!!!!)
Your site revamp is beautiful! Congrats on the new launch!!!!
Wait, you moved to the UK??? OMG how fabulous! Please educate me on all things “pudding!”
Hi Pamela! Forgive me for the delay! (strange I didnt get a notification you replied and happened to see this now)
Anyways, most importantly, I made your STP for xmas (GF and DF) and it was excellent!, you never disappoint with your recipes! And might I add it was also excellent for brunch w my coffee the next morning…. 😉
Ok, now all things pudding, I’m still in-training I suppose but here is my attempt to educate and to elaborate on your post, ‘pudding’ in the UK as mentioned is synonymous with the term ‘dessert’. So at the end of a meal, they might ask, “do you fancy a pudding?” Or “Fancy a Pud?”, if it’s more casual. Or they might use the term “dessert” depending on where you are…
Now since the British love their sweets, someone might ask you if you fancy getting a slice of cake in the afternoon with coffee or tea, this is very common – cake in the afternoon-, and then that same ‘cake’ in the evening might be referred to as “a pudding”.
Next, generally speaking Christmas Puddings or Christmas Puds is a specific kind of sweet treat–closest I can relate in the US would be a fruit/nut cake, but is “steamed in a bowl” rather than baked in a tin/pan (so similar to a water bath I suppose). During the holidays, a ‘Christmas pudding’ is served by pouring alcohol like brandy/rum over it and setting it on fire at the table (some families also add a lucky coin wrapped inside the pudding before cooking for good luck). Then its common to serve it with a dollop of “brandy butter” or something similar- which is essentially a frosting with brandy, butter and icing sugar (which the US calls powdered sugar).
And now savory “puddings”….like you mentioned, there’s Black Pudding (meat based that comes in a shape of a summer sausage and served hot -sliced in rounds typically with a traditional style English Breakfast), and then there’s Yorkshire Pudding (similar to what we would call a popover and are SO good btw!), those are traditionally served with Sunday Roasts and, yes, mop up gravy/sauces well! –But both those types of “puddings” have nothing to do with sweets or a sweet course at the end of a meal.
So what is the equivalent term in the UK for US’ version of “Pudding”? That’s a custard… – made with “double cream” (aka what the US calls heavy cream). Lol.
Hopefully I did the Brits justice with my quick lesson here! Loads of different terms between BrE vs AmE, but either way, it’s lovely in the UK! Cheers and stay in touch!!!!
Wow! Such a great lesson. Thank you for sharing this, Sara.
Happy New Year!