Sticky Date Pudding – you’re my favourite and always will be. Also known as Sticky Toffee Pudding, the simple trick that makes all the difference is to pour some Butterscotch Sauce over the warm cake when it comes out of the oven. It makes it ultra moist and gives it that intense dark colour. Plus, more sauce to serve, of course!
Sticky Date Pudding – a childhood favourite!
Who else has childhood memories of Sara Lee frozen Sticky Date Pudding??
It is the only store bought dessert my mother ever bought – and only on special occasions. And as much as I loved it, my one gripe was always that there was not enough Butterscotch Sauce to go around.
Never fear. You won’t have that problem with this recipe! 😂
I know this recipe is called Sticky Toffee Pudding by most of the world – other than Australia and New Zealand it seems. And given that dates are the key ingredient in the pudding, I would say we’ve got it right for this one!!
Dates are key
I am pretty sure this is the only recipe I use dates for. And I realise that the photo above of the date sludge may look thoroughly unappetising to some people, but rest assured even if you’re a date hater that you can’t taste it in the end result.
The dates contribute to the stickiness and moistness of the sponge, as well as giving it colour. Don’t ask me for a sub! (Oh wait, you can. Prunes. Pretty much the same thing! 😂)
Individual puddings – or a large one for sharing
I think it’s more common here in Australia to make one pudding cake that is then cut to serve. Sara Lee frozen dessert style. Whereas in the UK it seems more common to make individual puddings.
I might be wrong here. But either way will work fine, and I’ve provided cook times and directions for both.
Secret tip: Douse hot pudding with sauce
If you’ve ever made one of those cakes that you douse with syrup, you’ll know exactly what you’re in for with this trick!
It goes like this – as soon as the pudding comes out of the oven, poke lots of holes using a skewer (I find this strangely satisfying but let’s not read too much into this), then pour over some hot butterscotch sauce.
This makes the pudding intensely moist as well as staining the sponge to give it that signature dark brown colour, rather than being a pale golden colour which many sticky toffee pudding recipes are.
It also means this pudding keeps for days and days in the fridge and once reheated, it’s just like it’s fresh out of the oven.
The only question is – will you serve yours with cream or ice cream? I’m an ice cream gal, all the way!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Sticky Date Pudding
Ingredients
- 280g / 9 oz pitted dates , roughly chopped (Note 1)
- 1 tsp baking soda / bi carb soda
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/4 cup brown sugar , loosely packed
- 80g / 6 tbsp unsalted butter , softened
- 2 eggs , at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Butterscotch Sauce:
- 1 cup brown sugar , tightly packed
- 1 1/2 cups thickened cream (heavy cream)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 70g / 5 tbsp unsalted butter
Serving:
- Ice cream or dolloping cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced).
- Grease 7 pudding moulds (Note 2) with butter or grease and line a 20 cm / 8″ square cake pan with overhang.
Mashed Dates:
- Place dates in a bowl, sprinkle over baking soda. Pour over boiling water. Stand 10 minutes, then mash well with a potato masher (or fork) until it resembles sloppy porridge (see video for texture / thickness). (Note 3)
Batter:
- Place butter and sugar in a bowl. Beat until combined and smooth.
- Add eggs, beat until incorporated.
- Add flour then sprinkle baking powder across the surface. Mix until flour is incorporated.
- Add dates, mix quickly until dates are well incorporated into the batter. (Note 2) Follow directions to make one pudding or individual ones.
One Pudding:
- Pour into cake pan, smooth surface. Bake 35 minutes or until skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- While still hot, poke about 40 holes all over the surface using a skewer. Pour over 1/2 cup Butterscotch Sauce, leave to soak for 10 minutes.
- Use overhang to lift cake out. Cut, serve warm with remaining warm sauce and ice cream or cream.
Baking Individual Puddings:
- Pour batter into pudding moulds, only fill 2/3 of the way up.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- While still hot, poke about 10 holes on the surface of the pudding. Spoon over 1 tbsp of Butterscotch Sauce per Pudding. Leave to soak 10 minutes.
- Turn pudding moulds upside down on serving plate. Serve warm with remaining warm sauce and ice cream or cream.
Butterscotch Sauce:
- Place ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Once butter is melted, stir, then bring to simmer.
- Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring once, then remove from heat. Serve warm.
Recipe Notes:
– This recipe probably makes more sauce than you need – but it’s better to err on the side of caution!
– An electric beater will make your life easier but a whisk + wooden spoon will work fine too without exerting yourself too much. Just make sure your butter is well softened and easy to mix by hand.
– Poking holes into the pudding and pouring the sauce over to soak stains the pudding sponge a darker colour as well as adding more moisture into the pudding.
– Sticky Date Pudding is indulgent and very sweet, from both the dates + sugar in sauce. If you don’t have a sweet tooth, this dessert is not for you! To reduce sweetness, you can skimp on the sauce. Or make a lighter, less sweet sauce as follows: Use half the sugar, butter and cream, make per recipe. When it simmers, add 1 cup low fat milk, then 2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp water. Simmer to thicken. 4. Make Ahead: Exceptional for reheating because it’s so moist. Poke the holes and soak with sauce, reserve remaining sauce for serving. Best way to reheat is in the microwave because it keeps the pudding moist. 5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 9 servings and that all Sauce is consumed, which it may not be. I like to ensure there is enough Sauce because running out is a disaster. Nutrition for 7 individual puddings is 703 calories per serving. They are very generous sizes with loads of sauce (because the sauce recipe makes enough for 9 servings for the pudding cake), so when I scale the Sauce down by 20%, it reduces to 606 calories. Calories per serve for lightened up sauce (see Less Sweet Sauce above) is 477 calories.
More cosy warm desserts for cold winter nights
Life of Dozer
If you look real close on the right side, you’ll see the tiniest glimpse of my hand as I desperately tried to hold Dozer back from doing a face plant into the Pupcakes…..
I love this recipe it’s my go to for sticky date pudding. I just love all your recipes nagi. Just a question would this recipe be good for steaming as well ?
I haven’t tried to be honest Lina!! N x
Hello. I’m looking at making this for my bestie who is about to have a babe…..can the individual puddings be frozen if she doesn’t get through them all? And pulled out when needed?
Yes!!! What a great gift too!
I made this yesterday – New Year’s Eve and honestly speaking, it was a crowd-pleaser!! It’s mind-blowing! This is the best dessert I’ve ever tasted! My goodness! I’m making another one today as the amount makes a teeny tiny dish! lol!
Nagi, I just want to inquire about the sauce. My sauce had a skin on the surface and it’s murky. At first, there was foam and I scummed it off, but later it kept forming skins. Is this normal? The only thing that I changed was the cream, I didn’t use heavy cream as I was short of it! 🙈
Nagi, you’re phenomenal! ❤️
Hi Yousra, that’s so fantastic to hear – I’m so glad it was a hit! The the of cream would have caused your issues with the sauce, this one really needs heavy cream – N x
I used light cream instead of heavy.
Just today, Xmas eve 2019, made my first sticky toffee pudding and I’m blown away with how fabulous it is! It’s stunningly gorgeous, the sauce is amazing and overall a very easy recipe to follow!
It is sweet but not too sweet in my opinion. Not sickly sweet. No, you won’t eat huge amounts in one sitting, because not only does it satisfy any sweet craving you have, instantly, it is a real joy to savour. Your pleasure synapses , I think that’s what they are called will be singing and you will smile for hours afterwards.
It is so good! 🥰
Totally going to try it this Christmas, with the “less sweet” option! Just wondering… (because all the Christmas chocolates from colleagues are staring right at me…) would it be possible to incorporate dark chocolate in to reduce some of the sweetness?
Look forward making this. As I love how you have the light sweet option quantity written.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe, the instructions are so clear and easy to follow. I’ve made twice, and successfully. I know you mentioned using dried prunes, I’d like to know if I can use dried figs instead. Hope to hear back soon! Thanks again!
Hi Joey, dried figs wouldn’t have the same effect unfortunately! – N x
Hi Nagi,
Does the sauce freeze and reheat ok?
Yet another yummy recipe, so moist, we loved it. You are my only “go to” site. Have never failed me.
Am coming up to another weekend getaway. I make meals ahead and freeze, then just reheat. This time will be your Butter Chicken and Mexican Ground Beef Casserole with Rice and another, am yet to decide as we love all your recipes.
I will also make this Sticky Date Pudding as I know it’ll be a real winner. I will cook the pudding and make the holes and pour in part of the sauce before freezing it. I just need to know if the sauce will freeze and reheat ok?
Keep up your amazing work!
Hi Kerry, yes you can definitely freeze then microwave to defrost but I would keep the sauce separate from the puddings when freezing – N x
Hi, Nagi.
There is so much I want to thank you for.
First, this recipe.
I had never heard of Sticky Toffee Pudding until recently, and have collected several recipes since, but have not yet made it.
Your recipe is so well written, and it sounds and looks so good that I am definitely going with it.
Second, thank you for giving both metric and customary units.
I am not good at converting from metric.
Third, I was really admiring the size of your individual puddings, and wondered just what size ramekins you used, and there it was!
I absolutely love dates.
Growing up in Southern California, I had a favorite stand along the beach that sold the most amazing date shakes!
My mom used to make dates stuffed with cheddar cheese for snacks when I was young.
Another easy, delicious date treat!
I am going to make these this week as a Thanksgiving dessert.
Lucky dog, Dozer!
Thanks again.
Thank you so much for all your recipes. I have so many womens weekly books but much prefer your recipes and photos. Recommend yours to all my family and friends. Keep it up!
That’s lovely, thanks so much Hamish!
Yummy …. much enjoyed . It is also a very good simple & easy recipe to make. Thank you.
Wahoo, that’s great to hear Stephanie!
Hello Nagi, you say if one can’t get the right sour cream not to use it not to use it in the cheesecake. So what do you use instead? Sandi
Hi Sandi, which recipe are you referring to? I imagine it’s not the sticky date puddings 🙂
Nagi,
wow wow wow, was this ever delightful. This sticky date pudding tasted exactly like the first one I had when travelling Australia. Mine turned out exactly like the pictures. I started making your recipes last week and today this is the 4th one I’ve tried. All turned out perfect and delicious. Can’t wait to try more!
Thank you,
Joe
Wahoo! Thanks so much Fernweh!
Hi, i’m looking to make the day ahead. Do I poke the holes and add the sauce or do I save it for the actual day of serving? I do have a microwave for reheating.
Hi this recipe sounds devine! Can I substitute the sugar with Stevia?
I Haven’t tried Timtam – Would love to know if it works! (I imagine it may work in the cake but definitely won’t work in the sauce)
Hi Nagi, awesome recipe. Next time I want to make it one day ahead. Can I just double check your make ahead instructions. Do I cook and do holes/sauce straight after cooking or save the holes/sauces bit for after reheating only? Unfortunately I need to reheat in an oven. Thank you!
Hi Tamara, Save the holes & soaking with sauce for reheating if you are reheating in the oven – cover them to make sure they stay moist – N x
Wow! Just made this pudding for my dads birthday and everyone loved it!!! So easy to make, I’ll never buy store brought again!
So much better than store bought! Happy Birthday Dad!
I’m a chef by trade & this is hands down the BEST sticky date pudding recipe I have ever made it tasted!
I doubled the recipe & baked in a tray. Instead of mashing the dates I strained them (reserving the water) I wizzed the dates until it was a chunky paste & then tipped them back into the water before adding to the flour etc… once baked I think I poked about 70+ holes & poured 2 cups of the sauce over. It was so lovely and dark in colour when cut, not to mention MOIST! Everyone at my dinner table was in heaven. Absolutely DEVINE! thank you for sharing 🙂
That’s amazing to hear Naomi!
Oh my gooooosshhhh! Eating this right now and give it two thumbs up!!!
Wahoo!
Hey I have a unique issue, I have made a sticky date cake with butter Scotch sauce, and I’m using this shape of a bundt cake with a hollow centre, where I want to put the sauce for at least 5-6 days. But the sauce gets absorbed but the cake in few hours, I have made the sauce thick but still next day it gets absorbed, anything I can do /spray to avoid the sauce from getting absorbed in the cake ?
Hi Vineeta, the sauce will always absorb into the cake unfortunately as that’s what it’s designed to do!