Chef Eleanor Baker - Pastry Specialist
👨‍🍳 Pastry Chef

Recipe by Mitchell

🎓 Classical Pastry Training ⏰ 12+ Years Baking 🍽️ Dessert Stylist

❤️ My Recipe Story

"This recipe is a nod to the classic English dessert but elevated with the American addition of toasted pecans. The magic happens when the dates break down in the batter, creating an impossibly moist texture that acts as the perfect sponge for the salty-sweet toffee sauce."

Eleanor focuses on demystifying complex baking techniques to help home cooks create bakery-quality desserts. She believes that a good sauce can rescue any bad day.

View All Mitchell's Recipes →
Square slice of sticky toffee pudding topped with pecans and dripping with caramel sauce on a plate

The Secret to the Sponge

The unique texture of sticky toffee pudding comes from soaking dried dates in boiling water with baking soda. The baking soda softens the dates skins and breaks down the fibers, ensuring they melt into the batter rather than remaining chewy chunks. This process also darkens the cake and adds a deep, caramel-like flavor before the sauce is even added.

Unlike a standard vanilla cake, this batter will appear quite liquid when it goes into the oven. Don't panic! This high moisture content is exactly what keeps the pudding soft and allows it to absorb the toffee sauce without becoming mushy.

💡 Professional Tip

Toast your pecans in a dry skillet for 3-4 minutes before adding them to the recipe. This releases their natural oils and keeps them crunchy even when covered in the warm toffee sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Medjool dates are excellent as they are naturally softer and sweeter. However, standard dried pitted dates work perfectly fine since they are soaked in boiling water.

Absolutely. The cake actually improves in flavor the next day. Store the cake and sauce separately in the fridge. Reheat the cake in the oven and the sauce on the stovetop before serving.

Grainy sauce usually means the sugar didn't dissolve completely before boiling. Melt the butter and sugar gently on low heat and ensure no granules remain before increasing the heat to a boil.

Yes, the cake freezes beautifully without the sauce. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Make the sauce fresh when you are ready to serve.

No, this batter comes together easily with a hand mixer or even a wooden spoon and a whisk. Just ensure the butter is truly soft before starting.

Make your own by adding 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to 200g of all-purpose flour.

Yes, walnuts are a classic alternative to pecans and work very well with the flavor of dates and toffee.

Microwave individual portions for 30-45 seconds. The sauce will melt and the cake will become soft and steamy again.

Recipe Troubleshooting Guide

✅

Cake Sunk in Middle

Problem: The center of the cake collapsed

Solution: The oven door may have been opened too early, or the batter was underbaked. Test with a skewer; it must come out clean before removing from the oven.

✅

Sauce Separated

Problem: Butter separated from the sugar mixture

Solution: Remove from heat immediately and whisk vigorously. If that fails, add a splash of cold cream and whisk again to re-emulsify.

✅

Too Sweet

Problem: The dessert feels overwhelmingly sugary

Prevention: Increase the salt in the sauce (salted caramel balances the sweetness) or serve with unsweetened whipped cream or crème fraîche.

✅

Dry Sponge

Problem: The cake texture feels dry rather than moist

Recovery: This usually happens if the dates weren't soaked long enough or the cake was overbaked. Poke more holes and use more sauce to compensate.

✅

Hard Dates

Problem: Chunks of hard dates in the cake

Prevention: Ensure the water is boiling (not just hot) when added to the dates and baking soda, and chop them finely before soaking.

✅

Flavor Adjustments

Too Sweet: Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to cut the richness

Too Salty: Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top right before serving

Bland: Add a splash of bourbon or rum to the toffee sauce for depth

Ingredients for sticky toffee pudding including dates, brown sugar, butter, pecans, and heavy cream on a marble surface

Choosing the Right Ingredients

The quality of the dates makes a significant difference. While generic dried dates work, soft, sticky dates yield the best texture. Ensure they are pitted carefully—finding a pit in a soft cake is an unpleasant surprise!

For the toffee sauce, use heavy cream (double cream) rather than milk or half-and-half. The high fat content is required to emulsify with the butter and sugar to create that signature thick, glossy texture that clings to the cake.

Essential Ingredient Notes

  • Dark Brown Sugar: Use dark brown sugar rather than light. The higher molasses content provides that crucial deep toffee flavor and darker color.
  • Pecans: Look for raw pecan halves and toast them yourself. Pre-roasted nuts often lack the freshness and snap needed for this dish.
  • Butter: Unsalted butter is preferred so you can control the salt level, which is vital for balancing the intense sweetness of the dates and sugar.
Pouring hot toffee sauce over the baked date cake, garnished with pecans

Mastering the Toffee Sauce

The toffee sauce is the crowning glory of this dish. It requires full attention during cooking. The mixture will bubble up vigorously, so use a saucepan larger than you think you need. Keep the heat at medium to avoid scorching the sugar.

Timing is everything. You want the sauce to thicken slightly so it coats a spoon, but remember it will thicken considerably more as it cools. If you boil it too long, it will turn into soft candy rather than a pourable sauce.

The Soak Method

Poke generous holes all over the warm cake and pour 1/3 of the sauce over it immediately. Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving. This infuses the sponge with moisture.

Sticky Toffee Pecan Pudding

Prep 20 min
Cook 35 min
Serves 9 servings
Level Intermediate

📋 Ingredients

For the Date Sponge

  • 115g unsalted butter
    Base for the rich sauce
  • 175g dark brown sugar
    Provides molasses flavor
  • 250ml heavy cream
    Creates a silky texture
  • Pinch of sea salt
    Balances the sweetness
  • 150g pecans
    Toasted and roughly chopped

For the Toffee Sauce & Toppings

  • 250g pitted dates
    Chopped finely
  • 300ml boiling water
    To soften the dates
  • 1 tsp baking soda
    Helps break down dates
  • 115g butter, softened
    Room temperature
  • 175g dark brown sugar
    For deep flavor
  • 2 large eggs
    Binding agent
  • 200g self-raising flour
    Sifted

Instructions

  1. Prepare Dates

    Place chopped dates and baking soda in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over them and let stand for 10-15 minutes until softened. Mash lightly with a fork but keep some texture.

  2. Make Batter

    Cream softened butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla. Fold in the flour, then stir in the date mixture (including the liquid) until combined. Fold in half the pecans.

  3. Bake Cake

    Pour batter into a greased 8x8 inch square baking pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. While baking, prepare the sauce.

  4. Make Toffee Sauce

    In a saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce thickens and turns a deep amber color. Stir in salt.

  5. Assemble and Serve

    Poke holes over the warm cake with a skewer. Pour half the hot toffee sauce over the cake, allowing it to soak in. Top with remaining pecans. Cut into squares and serve warm with the remaining sauce poured on top.

Recipe Notes & Tips

Serving

This dessert is best served warm. If you are not serving immediately, keep the sauce warm on the stove or reheat gently before pouring.

Accompaniments

Vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream are the perfect accompaniments to cut through the rich sweetness.

Make It Boozy

For an adult version, add a tablespoon of dark rum or bourbon to the toffee sauce right after removing it from the heat.