Our favorite Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe makes cute individual servings of warm and gooey cake topped with warm toffee sauce.

Another dessert you can try with a similar texture but completely different flavor is my Gingerbread Cake. Or if you’re looking for more toffee flavor, check out my other toffee recipes.

Three single serve Sticky Toffee Pudding on a plate topped with a caramel toffee sauce.

Why I love this recipe:

  • Easy: We can thank the English for blessing the world with the deliciousness that is Sticky Toffee Pudding (aka sticky date pudding), and believe it or not, you already have most of the ingredients in your pantry.
  • Mini cakes: I love baking the sticky toffee pudding in muffin tins, for cute individualized portions. You could also bake the cake in an 8 inch square pan.
  • Flavor: It’s so flavorful and rich, especially with the sauce on top, and finished with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream, so you can savor every bite.

How to Make Sticky Toffee Pudding:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin, ramekins, or an 8’’ baking dish.
  • Chop Dates: Add the dates to the bowl of a food processor or blender then pour boiling water on top. Rest for 5 minutes, the pulse them in a food processor. Stir in baking soda.
  • Prepare Batter: In a separate bowl add butter and brown sugar and mix well to combine. Stir in eggs. Add the molasses and mix. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, then stir into the batter. Add chopped dates, folding them in to combine.
Four images showing how to make batter for the best Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe.
  • Bake: Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 18 – 20 minutes.
  • Serve cakes flat-side up, with warm toffee sauce on top. Garnish with chopped walnuts, if desired, then serve with custard, ice cream, or whipped cream.
Two muffin tins filled with easy Sticky Toffee Pudding batter before and after it's baked.

How to make Toffee Sauce:

  • Combine heavy whipping cream, butter, brown sugar, and salt in a saucepan.
  • Cook over low heat and stir until sugar dissolves and the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Serve warm, over sticky toffee pudding.
A homemade Toffee Sauce being poured on top of a single sticky toffee pudding.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: The cake and sauce can be made up to five days in advance, stored separately, in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Rewarm in the microwave.

To Freeze: Place in an air-tight freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe Variations:

  • Gluten-Free: Use 1 cup of gluten-free flour plus 1 ¼ tsp xanthan gum to help thicken the batter.
  • Vegan: Replace butter with vegan butter. I recommend using vegan butter from a block and not a spread as it is thicker and results in a better texture. In place of the two eggs, use two tablespoons of flax seeds (ground into a fine powder) and six tablespoons of water. For a dairy-free alternative to the heavy whipping cream, mix together ¾ cup soy, almond, or coconut milk with ¼ cup olive oil or canola oil.

Follow me for more great recipes

Recipe

Three single serve Sticky Toffee Pudding on a plate topped with a caramel toffee sauce.
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Total 45 minutes
Save Recipe

Ingredients
 
 

  • 8 ounces medjool dates* , pitted
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1/3 cup butter , room temperature
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar , firmly packed
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs , room temperature
  • 2 Tablespoons molasses
  • 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Toffee Sauce*:

  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup butter
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar , packed
  • 1 Pinch salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • chopped walnuts , optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin, ramekins, or an 8’’ baking dish.
  • Add the dates to the bowl of a food process or blender and pour boiling water on top. Set aside for 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the batter: Cream together butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the molasses and mix.
  • Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, and then stir into the batter.
  • Pulse the date mixture in a food processor, then stir in baking soda. Pour date mixture into batter (no need to strain) and fold in gently to combine (don’t over-mix).
  • Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 18 – 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with few crumbs. Don’t overbake or cake will be dry. (For square baking pan, bake for 22-25 minutes).
  • Serve muffin cakes flat-side up, with warm toffee sauce on top.

Toffee Sauce:

  • Add cream, butter, brown sugar, and salt to a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, and slightly thickened about 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
  • Spoon toffee sauce over cake and garnish with chopped walnuts, if desired.
  • Store the cakes and sauce (in an airtight container) separately for up to five days in the refrigerator.

Notes

Dates: If you don’t like dates or don’t have any on-hand, prunes make a good substitute. 
Caramel Sauce: If toffee isn’t your taste, try a warm caramel sauce or butterscotch sauce. 
Make Ahead Instructions: The cake and sauce can be made up to five days in advance. Warm the cake in the microwave or oven and reheat the sauce on the stove or microwave until warm and pourable.
Freezing Instructions: Wrap the cakes in plastic wrap and freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. 
Gluten Free: Use 1 cup of gluten-free flour plus 1 ¼ tsp xanthan gum to help thicken the batter.
Vegan: Replace butter with vegan butter. I recommend using vegan butter from a block and not a spread as it is thicker and results in a better texture. In place of the two eggs, use two tablespoons of flax seeds (ground into a fine powder) and six tablespoons of water. For a dairy-free alternative to the heavy whipping cream, mix together ¾ cup soy, almond, or coconut milk with ¼ cup olive oil or canola oil.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 386kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 3gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 277mgPotassium: 302mgFiber: 2gSugar: 41gVitamin A: 607IUCalcium: 79mgIron: 1mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag @TastesBetterFromScratch on Instagram with #TastesBetterFromScratch!

Follow Me

Get recipe ideas weekly!

I originally shared this recipe December 2020. Updated October 2023.

This post contains affiliate links.

Related Posts

Share Recipe

Categories

About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

Leave A Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





Comments

See More Comments