Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

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This sticky toffee pudding cake is one of those desserts I make every single year once the weather turns cold. It’s a soft, moist date cake with a warm toffee sauce poured right over the top.

I first tried sticky toffee pudding at a little restaurant years ago and could not stop thinking about it. So I came home and started testing my own version until it tasted just as good as the one I remembered.

Now it shows up on my table every holiday season, and my family would probably stage a small protest if I ever left it off the menu.

The cake itself is simple. Soaked dates get mixed right into the batter, which keeps every bite soft and a little chewy in the best way.

Then comes the sauce. Buttery, sweet, and poured on warm, it soaks into the cake and turns an already good dessert into something people ask for the recipe of.

Warm, moist, and drenched in toffee sauce.

Why This Recipe Works

• Soaking the dates in hot water softens them so they blend smoothly into the batter instead of sitting in hard chunks.
• No fancy equipment is needed. A bowl, a mixer, and a saucepan get the whole job done.
• The toffee sauce is made while the cake bakes, so nothing sits around waiting.
• Pouring warm sauce over a warm cake lets it soak in instead of just sitting on top.
• The cake stays moist for days thanks to the dates and the sauce that seeps into it.

Ingredient Notes for This Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

• Dates: Soft, pitted dates work best. If yours feel dry or hard, soak them a little longer in the hot water.
• Brown sugar: Dark brown sugar gives a deeper toffee flavor, but light brown sugar works fine too.
• Butter: I like salted butter in both the cake and the sauce, but unsalted works if that’s what you have.
• Heavy cream: This is what makes the sauce silky and rich rather than thin and syrupy.
• Baking soda: This reacts with the hot water and dates, so don’t skip it or swap it for baking powder in that step.

Full Ingredients List

For the Cake

• 8 ounces pitted dates, chopped
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup boiling water
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the Toffee Sauce

• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• Pinch of salt
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

I make this cake in the same 9×9-inch metal baking pan every time, since it gives the cake nice even edges and bakes through evenly.

Shop My Favorite Baking Pan

How to Make Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

1. Soak the dates. Stir the chopped dates, baking soda, and boiling water together in a large heat-proof bowl. Let the mixture stand for 30 minutes, until cooled to room temperature.
2. Preheat and prep. Toward the end of the cooling time, heat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9×9-inch metal baking pan.
3. Mix the wet ingredients. Add the brown sugar, eggs, butter, and vanilla to the cooled date mixture. Beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Tip: the batter may look a little curdled at this point, and that’s completely normal.
4. Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low for about a minute, just until combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
5. Bake the cake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
6. Cool slightly. Set the cake, still in the pan, on a wire rack while you make the sauce.
7. Make the toffee sauce. Add the brown sugar, heavy cream, butter, and salt to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
8. Simmer the sauce. Lower the heat and simmer for about 2 minutes, until the sugar has fully dissolved. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. Tip: let the sauce rest for 5 to 10 minutes so it thickens before you pour it.
9. Poke and pour. If you’d like, poke small holes over the top of the warm cake with a skewer. Pour about half a cup of the warm sauce over the top.
10. Rest and serve. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then serve warm with the rest of the sauce poured over each slice.

Print

Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

A moist date cake soaked in a rich, buttery toffee sauce.

Prep Time15 minutes

Bake Time50 minutes

Total Time1 hour 40 minutes

Servings12 servings

Ingredients

Cake

• 8 ounces pitted dates, chopped
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup boiling water
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

Toffee Sauce

• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• Pinch of salt
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Stir dates, baking soda, and boiling water together. Let stand 30 minutes, until cooled to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9×9-inch metal baking pan.
3. Add brown sugar, eggs, butter, and vanilla to the date mixture. Beat on medium 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low until just combined.
5. Pour batter into the pan. Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
6. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack while making the sauce.
7. Bring brown sugar, cream, butter, and salt to a boil in a saucepan, stirring often.
8. Simmer 2 minutes, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla. Let thicken 5 to 10 minutes.
9. Poke holes in the warm cake if desired. Pour half the sauce over the top.
10. Cool 10 minutes, then serve warm with remaining sauce.

Notes

• Store leftover cake covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
• Keep the extra sauce covered in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.
• Using a glass baking pan? Lower the oven temperature by 25°F and start checking a few minutes early.

Nutrition (Per Serving, Estimated)

• Calories338
• Total Fat16g
• Saturated Fat10g
• Cholesterol71mg
• Sodium311mg
• Total Carbs48g
• Dietary Fiber2g
• Sugars34g
• Protein3g
• Calcium57mg
• Iron1mg
• Potassium221mg

Nutrition values are estimates only and will vary based on exact ingredients used.

Serving Ideas and Variations

• Top each warm slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a classic pairing.
• Add a dollop of fresh whipped cream if you want something a little lighter than ice cream.
• Stir a small pinch of espresso powder into the sauce for a subtle coffee note.

Tips for Success

• Let the date mixture cool fully before adding it to the eggs, or the eggs may start to cook.
• Don’t overmix once the flour goes in, or the cake can turn dense instead of tender.
• Check the cake a few minutes early the first time you make it, since ovens vary.
• Pour the sauce over the cake while both are still warm so it soaks in properly.
• Chop your dates while they’re a little sticky rather than fully dry for the best texture.

Notes and Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I make this cake ahead of time? Yes, bake the cake a day ahead, then warm it gently before pouring on fresh sauce.
• How should I store sticky toffee pudding cake? Keep the cake covered at room temperature for up to 4 days, and store the sauce separately in the fridge.
• Can I freeze this cake? Yes, wrap the cooled cake tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw and warm before serving with fresh sauce.
• What can I use instead of dates? Dates give this cake its signature flavor and moisture, so I don’t recommend leaving them out, though chopped prunes can work in a pinch.
• Why did my cake turn out dense? This usually happens from overmixing after the flour is added, so stir just until the streaks disappear.

This cake has become such a fixture in my house that I honestly can’t imagine the holidays without it anymore.

There’s something about warm toffee sauce soaking into a soft date cake that just feels like comfort in dessert form.

If you make this one, I would love to know how it turned out for you.

Leave a comment below and tell me what you served it with. I always love hearing how other people make a recipe their own.

Jessica Moore
Hi, I’m Jessica! I bake and share simple, cozy recipes here on CookieRecipesOnline.com. Thanks for stopping by my kitchen.