Description
A moist, tender British classic date pudding soaked in boiling water and baking soda, topped with a rich, homemade caramel sauce. This reliable recipe is easy to make and tastes better the next day.
Ingredients
Scale
- 200g Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 75g unsalted butter, softened
- 150g dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 150g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 75g unsalted butter (for sauce)
- 150g dark brown sugar, packed (for sauce)
- 120ml heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for sauce)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8×8 inch baking dish.
- Place pitted dates in a medium saucepan with boiling water and baking soda. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes until dates are soft and broken down.
- In a large bowl, cream softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla extract.
- Add flour and cinnamon, mixing on low speed until just combined. Fold in the soaked date mixture and syrup.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While the cake bakes, make the sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Add heavy cream and salt, bringing to a gentle simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Once the cake is baked, poke holes in the top with a toothpick. Pour about half the warm caramel sauce over the cake and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Serve warm with the remaining sauce drizzled on top.
Notes
Soak dates for a full 10 minutes to ensure moisture. Do not overmix the batter to avoid a tough texture. The sauce should be simmered gently to prevent burning. For best results, make the sauce fresh on the day of serving. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 38
- Sodium: 220
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
Keywords: sticky toffee pudding, date pudding, British dessert, caramel sauce, easy dessert, comfort food