Say hello to a moist, caramel-scented date cake finished with a sticky vanilla toffee sauce so good you might be tempted to drink it straight from the pan. This sticky date pudding is an Australian favourite. A few years ago my mum brought one over and I’d forgotten how lovely it was. I asked her for the recipe — she’d received it from an Australian friend — and coincidentally a reader messaged me asking for this very pudding after tasting it on her travels. I love when the stars align.
This is an updated post: I refreshed the photos and tweaked the recipe slightly. The warm cake soaks up some of the sauce when you pour it on, and the remaining sauce is served alongside each portion. It’s comforting and delicious.
The cake is quick to prepare and the sauce takes about five minutes, so there’s really no excuse not to make it. The sauce tastes like caramel, butterscotch and toffee all at once — addictively good. I used light brown sugar here, but dark brown sugar will give a deeper colour and more intense flavour, so use that if you have it.
The pudding doesn’t overpower with a strong date flavour, in case you’re hesitant. Chopped dates are scattered through the cake, adding texture and a lovely caramelised, honey-like note that lifts the whole dessert. Let’s make pudding!
Please read the recipe notes before beginning.
Sticky Date Pudding
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake
- 200 gms seedless dates, finely chopped
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 and 1/4 cups freshly boiled water (185 ml)
- 1/4 cup butter (55 gms)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (105 gms, see notes)
- 2 eggs (I have not tried an eggless version)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (160 gms)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt if using unsalted butter
For the sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (105 gms)
- 1/2 cup cream (125 ml, see notes)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (55 gms)
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
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Line an 8×8 baking pan with non-stick baking paper, leaving a slight overhang for easy removal. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
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Place the chopped dates and baking soda in a small bowl, pour over the boiling water, stir, cover and set aside to soften.
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In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a hand mixer on low–medium speed until pale and creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat briefly to combine.
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Sift in the flour and baking powder, and add salt if using. Fold gently — the batter will be thick and sticky. Add the softened dates and all the soaking liquid, then stir until smooth, using the hand mixer briefly if needed.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick in the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then poke holes all over the cake with a toothpick or skewer.
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Meanwhile, make the sauce: combine the brown sugar, cream and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until the butter melts and the mixture is uniform, then simmer for a minute or two. Remove from heat and stir in the pinch of salt and vanilla.
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Pour about two-thirds of the hot sauce over the cake. It will collect slightly around the edges, so use a spoon to spread it evenly; the sauce is thick and won’t soak completely into the cake. Let the pudding rest for about 15 minutes, then cut into 16 squares and serve with the remaining sauce. A dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream is optional and delicious.
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Store the pudding in the fridge for 4–5 days. Keep leftover sauce refrigerated and reheat it when serving individual portions. Happy baking!
Notes
*Use soft brown sugar for both cake and sauce if possible, as it is moister and more flavourful. Dark brown sugar gives a deeper flavour and colour than light brown.
*The sauce is thick and the cake sits between a sponge and a butter cake, so it won’t absorb all the sauce. If you prefer extra sauce, make a double batch to serve alongside individual portions.
*If you have whipping cream, use it for a richer sauce. Regular cream works well too.
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