United Kingdom / Cakes & baking
Sticky Toffee Pudding (with dates)
Sticky toffee pudding (STP) is a rich, dense, gooey dessert originating from the United Kingdom that can now be found across the world. Often found on a pub's menu, or in British or Commonwealth schools meals, this is a classic dessert that became popular in the 1970s.
Ingredients
- self-raising flour, 250 g/8.8 oz1 3/4 cup
- unsalted butter, 100 g; room temperature7/8 stick
- caster sugar, 250 g1 cup
- egg, large; or 3 medium eggs2 piece
- dates, 250 g; finely chopped2 1/2 cup
- water, 300 ml1 1/4 cup
- bicarbonate of soda1 tsp
- vanilla essence1 tsp
- whipping cream, 400 ml1 2/3 cup
- dark soft brown sugar, 120 g2/3 cup
- vanilla essence1 tsp
- unsalted butter, 375 g3 stick
Quantities are auto-calculated from the original recipe as a guide. Items without numbers (e.g. “to taste”) are not changed.
Method 11 steps
Preheat oven to 180°C/360°F.
Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla. You can do this by beating it in a bowl with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes, taking care to break up the crystals and smooth the mixture out as much as possible. Or, do it using an electric mixer if you prefer.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating after you've added each egg.
Fold in the flour.
Bring the water to the boil and add the dates. Add the bicarb and immediately take the pan off the heat. Let it cool slightly, then add to the batter.
Pour the batter into a greased cake tin—make sure you use one with enough room for the cake to rise.
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool a little while you make the sauce
Mix the sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Heat gently, stirring often to make sure that the mixture doesn't separate, until it is a smooth sauce—don't allow it to bubble.
Divide the cake into portions and poke holes all over the top with a skewer or chopstick.
Pour the sauce over the top of the cake, making sure it gets in the holes. Serve with cream, custard, or ice cream.
