Sticky Date Pudding Toffee (Printer-friendly)

Moist date cake paired with rich, warm toffee sauce for a comforting British classic dessert.

# What You Need:

→ Pudding

01 - 8 oz pitted dates, chopped
02 - 1 cup boiling water
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Toffee Sauce

10 - 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
11 - 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 - 1 cup heavy cream
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch square cake pan.
02 - Place chopped dates in a bowl. Pour boiling water over them and stir in baking soda. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
03 - In a large bowl, cream softened butter with dark brown sugar until light and fluffy.
04 - Beat eggs into the butter mixture one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
05 - Gently fold self-raising flour and salt into the wet mixture until just combined.
06 - Slightly mash the soaked dates with their liquid and fold them into the batter.
07 - Transfer batter to the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - While the cake bakes, combine dark brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture simmers. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and salt.
09 - When the cake is done, cool for 5 minutes. Prick holes over the surface with a skewer and pour half the toffee sauce over it. Let soak for 10 minutes.
10 - Cut into squares and serve warm, drizzling remaining toffee sauce over each portion.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The pudding stays impossibly moist for days, soaking up toffee sauce like a sponge that only gets better with time.
  • It looks fancy enough for dinner parties but forgiving enough that even a distracted cook can pull it off.
  • One bite delivers that perfect balance of bitter caramel and sweet fruit that makes you forget you're eating something this rich.
02 -
  • Don't rush the date soaking step. If you skip the full 10 minutes, the fruit won't break down properly and you'll end up with dry bits instead of jammy sweetness.
  • Watch the toffee sauce like a hawk once it starts simmering. It can go from perfect to burnt in less than a minute if you walk away.
  • Poking holes in the warm pudding is non-negotiable. Without them, the sauce just sits on top instead of soaking into every bite.
03 -
  • Always use dark brown sugar, not light. The molasses is what gives both the pudding and the sauce that deep, almost burnt-sugar complexity.
  • If your toffee sauce seizes or looks grainy, add a tablespoon of hot water and whisk hard over low heat until it smooths out again.
  • Make extra sauce. You'll want it for drizzling over ice cream, pancakes, or eating straight from the spoon when no one's looking.

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