Sticky Toffee Pudding!
*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more details!*
Gorgeous, rich and delightful homemade sticky toffee pudding with homemade sticky toffee sauce and served with ice cream!
Sticky toffee pudding
I realise it’s now the end of October, but as the weather is cold and cosy I wanted to post a warming pudding that is going to satisfy my sweet cravings, and is utterly scrumptious and delicious. That basically only calls for one thing… sticky toffee pudding.
For this, think sweet, but not teeth achingly sweet. It’s warm, it’s cosy and it’s heaven in every singly morsel. One major thing I must say about this recipe though? You will want more than one bowlful. I will be honest and say that sticky toffee pudding is my favourite pudding in the world, so I am so excited to post this recipe.
Classic puddings
I feel like this is one of those puddings that is on nearly every single pub menu, and you can get pretty much all year, even when its the peak of summer, and I am not mad about it. It’s a classic, that you can’t beat. However, making it at home means it’s cheaper, and you get more for your money. You can add more sauce, or less sauce, or whatever you really fancy. It is EPIC.
I often find with desserts that I buy when I am out at a pub or a restaurant, that there is never enough sauce. I might actually just be that person who loves an obscene amount of sauce, but hey ho… I love it. I might be mad for that, but I know I am not alone. There is something wonderful about having the warm pudding, the warm sauce, and the ice cold ice cream. Or even just a drizzle of double cream, or anything!
The pudding
There are so many recipes for sticky toffee pudding out there that I kind of merged a few together and then also what I had in the fridge/cupboard and what I found worked best! However, dates MUST be used, in my opinion.
Obviously though, dates aren’t to everyones tastes so you can leave them out, up the milk to 250ml, and add in 25g more treacle, but it won’t be quite as good. My sticky toffee cake recipe is super popular, but that definitely requires the dates.
- Butter – the butter for the pudding can be a block butter, or baking spread
- Sugar – I prefer to use dark brown soft sugar for a proper sticky toffee flavour, but light brown sugar works well as well
- Flour – I use self raising flour when making this pudding
- Raising agents – A little bit of baking powder and bicarb
- Treacle – black treacle is important again for the proper sticky toffee flavour, but can be substituted for golden syrup
- Eggs – I use medium eggs in my baking, but two large would work well for this
- Milk – I always use full-fat whole milk in my bakes for best results
The sauce
The sauce is arguably one of the most important bits right as I said above?! I just can’t get enough of it, and I want it slathered all over the pudding as well as poured on after… it’s perfect.
- Butter – whilst you can use bakings spread for the sponge, I’d recommend actual butter for the sauce to prevent splitting
- Sugar – I’d use the same as you used for the sponge, I use dark brown soft sugar though
- Treacle – again, I prefer black treacle for a rich flavour, but golden syrup works well
- Cream – double/heavy cream is best, single cream or low fat won’t work in the same way
- Vanilla – I love to add a little sweetness, but this is optional
Best served with…
My favourite flavours of ice cream to go with a dessert like this are clotted cream ice cream, and toffee ice cream – but maybe that’s a little too much sticky toffee in one go? Or, if you have a giant glug of custard, I’m not going to be mad about it…
You can obviously use whatever ice cream you fancy, or its particularly fun when you make this for a dinner party and buy several different flavours of ice cream – the face of each guest when they cant decide which flavour to have. And of course, you can use shop bought custard, or make your own… whatever you prefer.
Tips & Tricks
- This is best served fresh, but will last 3+ days in the fridge
- The pudding can be made in advance and frozen
- The sauce can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for 3+ days
- You can reheat the pudding once if you have leftovers
- I use a 30x20cm size dish, but anything roughly similar works well
Sticky Toffee Pudding!
Ingredients
Sticky Toffee Pudding
- 175 g dates (stones removed)
- 175 ml boiling water
- 75 g unsalted butter
- 175 g light or dark brown soft sugar
- 250 g self raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 75 g black treacle (or golden syrup)
- 3 medium eggs
- 125 ml whole milk
Sticky Toffee Sauce
- 75 g unsalted butter
- 75 g light or dark brown soft sugar
- 2 tbsp black treacle (or golden syrup)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 150 ml double cream
Instructions
For the Pudding
- Remove the stones from your dates, and chop as finely as possible.
- Pour over the boiling water and leave the mixture to sit for 20 minutes or so. If you prefer no lumps, blend the mixture until smooth.
- Preheat your oven to 180ºC/160ºC Fan, and get a baking dish ready - I use one that is about 1.5L in size (30x20cm ish)
- Add the unsalted butter, sugar, eggs, self raising flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and the black treacle into a bowl, and beat until combined - beat as little as possible so as not to over beat it.
- Add in the date & water mixture, and the milk a little at a time, and mix in until smooth. It'll be a thin mixture, but roll with it!
- Pour the mixture into the dish and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Whilst baking, make the sauce!
For the Sauce
- Add all your ingredients to a larger pan, and heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted and incorporated.
- Bring the sauce to the boil and stir for 1-2 minutes so it thickens slightly.
- Pour half or most of the sauce over the baked pudding.
- Serve with a drizzle of cream, whipped cream, or ice cream like I did and any leftover sauce!
Notes
- Any dish that is about 1.5-2L in size will work - just keep an eye on the baking time.
- The dessert is best served fresh, but can be reheated once.
- The sauce will last for 3 days, in the fridge - will thicken a lot in the fridge.
- If you want to bake individual puddings, I recommend using these pudding moulds for the recipe! The recipe will make about 8-10 and take 20 minutes to bake!
- If you don't want to use the dates, remove the dates and water and use 250ml milk in total.
Enjoy!
Find my other Recipes on my Recipes Page!
You can find me on:
Instagram
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
Youtube
J x
© Jane’s Patisserie. All images & content are copyright protected. Do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words and credit me, or link back to this post for the recipe.
Can this be frozen with the sauce on it or would you freeze the sauce separately
Thank you
Either works! x
This is the first sticky toffee pudding I’ve ever baked or eaten and will be the only recipe I use from now on. It’s amazing as are all your recipes I’ve tried. You are truly gifted ☺️
Any recommendations on making in a traditional large 1.5L pudding basin? I don’t want individual portions but the old fashioned sharing one? Thanks
Yes I want to make just the one larger one too, please can you help?
Hey! I’m going to make this tomorrow to serve on Christmas Day. Should I cream together the butter and sugar first or just pop it all straight in the bowl together?
Either way should be fine! x
I tried putting all the ingredients in the bowl together and ended up with lumps of butter that wouldn’t mix – not sure how it’s going to turn out, but will probably cream butter and sugar first next time.
Like quite a few people here this was my first attempt at sticky toffee pudding. It was so easy and just delicious. I creamed the butter and sugar first, I don’t have an electric mixer. For those asking about leaving the dates out, I’m not a big fan of fruit in general, definitelly not in cakes and things like dates are just a complete no-no, however – I blitzed the date/water mix for a few seconds and the end result did not have any ‘bits’ that bothered me. Love this website, great recipes, easy to follow and amazing results time after time.
How long and what temperature to reheat?
Hi Jane,
I live in Germany and can’t find double cream anywhere, Someone said I could use mascarpone is this possible?
I have used this before when I couldn’t get double cream. Absolutely no use for whipping but works ok for adding to a sauce.
Combine 1/4 cup (57 grams) of melted butter with 3/4 cup (178 mL) of milk and mix thoroughly to make 1 cup (237 ml) of heavy cream. You can also add a tablespoon (8 grams) of flour to thicken the liquid, especially if you’re using low fat milk
Hello there,
If reheating the whole bake, how long would you recommend reheating it? Also if we’re reheating should we not pour any sauce on it ?
Thanks 🙂
Hiya! I would go for 15-20 mins in a pre heated oven, either with or without sauce! Hope this helps! x
Hi Jane!
I want to make this for Christmas but I’ll have too much to do at the time. Can I freeze the pudding in advance (as well as the sauce separately)? Can you give me instructions on how to do this?
Thanks!
Hiya! Just wrap the pudding in the baking dish, and the sauce in a freezer proof container. It will freeze for up to 3 months! Hope this helps! x
Please please Jane can you do a recipe for sticky toffee cookies ☺️😍
It’s on my to do list I promise! x
That sounds delicious. Could there be dates in them?
Hi Jane,
I’m about to try this recipe out today. Could I just check…should I pour the sauce onto the bake while the bake is still warm or should I wait for the cake to cook before pouring on the sauce?
Love your recipes!
X
Hiya! Its completely up to you – I usually pour when serving! Hope this helps! x
Hi Jane,
Another question 😃
If I was making this bake as a donation to be served to people a few hours after I had made it. Could I present it with the sauce already on it and they then place it al straight into the oven to heat up with the sauce already on it?
Hiya! Yes you can reheat, as some of the sauce isn’t put on the pudding anyway – so you’ll still have some spare! Hope this helps! x
I’ve never made a sticky toffee pudding before…not sure why but I fancied something different to feed the family for pudding on a Sunday… and this was the biggest hit! My 3 boys and husband loved it! So simple to make and tasted restaurant quality! Brilliant recipe and will now be a statement in my household!
Hi Jane! I’m planning on making this for a dinner party. Can I use a muffin tin to create individual puddings? Also can I prepare it before the party and place it in the oven to bake when it’s time? I wouldn’t prepare it too in advance, maybe that morning?
Thanks!
Hiya! Muffin size would be great, but it may be best to bake in advance and then reheat for the best results! Hope this helps! x
Hi I would prefer to remove the dates would I still still need add the boiling water?
Thanks xx
Hi Jane
I would like to make it in muffins tins too in advance.
What would be the best way to reheat it?
I’m guessing I shouldn’t pour the sauce on until serving?
Thank you
Hello jane i made this twice but then lately the cake tastes and looks uncooked/soggy at180 for 30 mins max and the skwer comes out absolutely clean so i dunno what the issue is i even change the flour still uncooked soggy
Hiya! This may be due to the temperature of your oven, but Sticky Toffee pudding is meant to be slightly stodgy and sticky! Hope this helps! x
Hi Jane
I want to make this recipe for a dinner party with friends and i know you recommend the mini desert moulds and it says to bake them for 20 mins instead of 35 is that correct?
How you recommend getting them out of the moulds once done?
and if i was pre make the mix and leave in the fridge for a few hours before baking would this be ok? what is the maximum you would pre make it?
Kind regards
Ellie
Hi Jane
If I wanted to adapt this to traybake size (9×13″ tin) how much would you increase the ingredients
Thanks 😊
Hi! American here and buying a few of the ingredients on amazon. You note in your recipe that you can use either black treacle or golden syrup – is there a big difference? Ive never used either of them.
Thanks!
Hiya – no not really, both work equally as well, it’s completely up to you! x
Gotta love a homemade sticky toffee pudding and this was delicious! Froze half of it too, handy!