Description
This classic Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe features moist date cake muffins served with a rich, warm toffee sauce. The sweet and gooey dessert is perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth with comfort and warmth, enhanced by optional chopped walnuts for texture and crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Date Cake Batter
- 8 ounces medjool dates, pitted (225 g)
- 1 cup boiling water (240 ml)
- 1/3 cup butter, room temperature (75 g)
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed (145 g)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10 ml)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons molasses (30 ml)
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (200 g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (6 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (5 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (1.5 g)
Toffee Sauce
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (120 ml)
- 1/2 cup butter (115 g)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed (160 g)
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10 ml)
- Chopped walnuts, optional
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin or individual ramekins to prevent sticking.
- Soak Dates: Place the pitted medjool dates into the bowl of a food processor or blender, then pour boiling water over them. Set this mixture aside for 5 minutes to soften.
- Prepare Batter: In a separate bowl, cream together the room temperature butter and light brown sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the molasses and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to ensure even distribution, then gently incorporate into the creamed butter mixture.
- Process Dates: Pulse the soaked dates in the food processor to create a chunky puree. Stir in baking soda directly into this date mixture.
- Mix Date Puree into Batter: Pour the date mixture into the batter and gently fold to combine. Be careful not to overmix to prevent drying out the cake.
- Bake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin or ramekins. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. For a square baking pan, bake for 25 minutes.
- Prepare Toffee Sauce: While the cake is baking, add the heavy cream, butter, light brown sugar, and a pinch of salt into a saucepan over low heat. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Serve: Serve the muffin cakes flat-side up, spoon warm toffee sauce generously over each portion. Garnish with chopped walnuts if desired for added texture.
- Storage: Store cake and toffee sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat before serving as needed.
Notes
- Dates Substitute: If you don’t have dates or prefer a different flavor, prunes make a good substitute with a similarly rich sweetness.
- Sauce Variation: If you prefer, replace the toffee sauce with a warm caramel or butterscotch sauce for different flavor profiles.
- Make Ahead: Both the cake and sauce can be prepared up to five days in advance. Warm cake in microwave or oven before serving and reheat sauce until pourable.
- Freezing: Wrap cakes tightly in plastic wrap and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.
- Gluten Free Version: Use 1 cup gluten-free flour combined with 1 1/4 teaspoons xanthan gum to help with texture and binding.
- Vegan Option: Replace butter with vegan butter (preferably from a block, not spread). Substitute eggs with 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoons water. For dairy-free cream, mix 3/4 cup soy, almond, or coconut milk with 1/4 cup olive or canola oil.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
