It’s easy to see why sticky toffee pudding is such a beloved classic. This British dessert—often called sticky toffee cake—is rich, buttery, and unbelievably moist, with deep caramel flavor from dates and brown sugar. After baking, it’s soaked in warm toffee sauce that seeps into every bite, making it tender, sticky, and downright irresistible.
Despite how decadent it tastes, sticky toffee pudding is surprisingly easy to make. The batter comes together quickly, and the toffee sauce cooks up in minutes on the stovetop. Serve it warm with extra sauce (and definitely a scoop of vanilla ice cream), and you’ve got a dessert that feels both comforting and special—perfect for holidays, dinner parties, or whenever you’re craving something cozy and sweet.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING
- Dates: Create the pudding’s signature caramel flavor and moist, tender texture.
- Flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt: Provide structure, lift, and balance.
- Warm spices: A touch of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg adds cozy depth.
- Butter & brown sugar: Used in both the cake and sauce for rich, toffee-like sweetness.
- Eggs: Add structure, richness, and moisture.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the caramel flavor in both the cake and sauce.
- Heavy cream: Makes the toffee sauce silky and luscious.
- Whisky (optional): Adds warmth and complexity; extra cream works fine instead.
- Orange zest (optional): Brightens the sauce and cuts through the sweetness.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Soak the dates. In a small saucepan, combine the dates and water and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes to soften up the dates.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
Step 3: Purée the dates. Transfer the dates and their liquid to a food processor. Add the baking soda and process until completely smooth, about 1 minute. The baking soda helps soften the dates so they blend easily into a silky purée, and it also acts as a leavener for the cake.
Step 4. Make the cake batter. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use beaters), beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla and the date mixture on low speed. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low just until everything’s evenly combined.
Step 5: Bake the cake. Pour the batter into a greased 9-inch square baking dish or cake pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake at 350°F until the cake is set and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. As soon as it comes out of the oven, grab a skewer or toothpick and poke holes all over the warm cake, about an inch apart and all the way down to the bottom.
Step 5: Make the toffee sauce. While the cake bakes, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, cream, vanilla, salt, and whiskey. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes.
Step 6: Soak the cake. Pour about ½ cup of the hot toffee sauce evenly over the cake, letting it sink into all those little holes. Return the pan to the oven for about 5 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and has soaked in. Set the pan on a rack and let the cake cool for about 30 minutes.
Step 7: Serve. Cut the cake into squares and serve it warm, passing the remaining sauce at the table. Be generous—the sauce really makes this dessert, and there’s plenty to go around. Sticky toffee pudding is best served fresh, but you can make it up to 2 days ahead. Enjoy!
More Cozy Desserts You’ll Love
Bread Pudding
Sticky Toffee Banana Cake
Chocolate Bread Pudding
Apple Cobbler
Sticky Toffee Pudding
If you love cozy desserts, you can't beat sticky toffee pudding—rich, buttery, and full of warm toffee flavor.
Servings 9 to 12
Calories 387kcal
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 8 oz dried pitted dates (about 1½ cups)
- 1 cup water
- 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Sauce
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1⅓ cups (packed) dark brown sugar
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup whisky (or substitute more heavy cream)
- ½ teaspoon orange zest, from 1 orange (optional)
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
- Make the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease a 9-in (23-cm) square cake pan or baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small saucepan, combine the dates and water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Transfer the dates and their liquid to a food processor. Add the baking soda and process until completely smooth, about 1 minute.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a hand mixer with beaters), cream the butter and brown sugar on medium until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and date mixture and mix on low speed until evenly incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed until evenly combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Transfer the batter to the prepared dish and smooth into an even layer (it will look like a thin layer, but don't worry—it rises quite a bit).
- Bake until the cake is puffed, set in the center, and a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Leave the oven on.
- Make the sauce: While the cake bakes, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, cream, vanilla, salt, whiskey (or additional cream), and orange zest (if using). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Finish the cake: Using a skewer or toothpick, poke holes all over the warm cake, about 1 inch apart, all the way down to the bottom.
- Pour about ½ cup of the hot sauce evenly over the surface. Return the cake to the oven for 5 minutes, until the sauce bubbles and soaks in.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 20 to 30 minutes. Cut the cake into squares (it can be a little crumbly when warm, so I like using a small silicone spatula—it gives you nice, clean slices). Serve warm, passing the remaining sauce at the table. Be extra generous with the sauce; it’s what makes the dessert so special, and the recipe makes plenty.
Notes
- Make-Ahead Instructions: Sticky toffee pudding is at its very best when baked and served fresh, but you can make it ahead if needed. Bake the cake, poke the holes, and let it soak up the first pour of sauce as directed. Once cooled, cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To serve, rewarm the cake (covered with foil) in a 300°F oven until heated through, and gently reheat the sauce on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Nutrition information is based on 12 servings and includes only half of the toffee sauce, as much of it is spooned over at serving and you’ll likely have extra—perfect for drizzling over ice cream.
Nutrition
Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 291mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 44g
Nutritional Data Disclaimer
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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