Sticky toffee pudding with caramel sauce is a lovely wonderful dessert to serve your family and guests. It’s best served warm, if you make it ahead of time you can warm it up in the microwave if you have one, or in the oven for a short time and make the sauce when you plan to serve it. You can top it with freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
I made this with and without molasses, both ways are good. If you plan to add the molasses, add it when you beat the sugar and butter. It is a personal preference, really.
My adaptation: epicurious sticky-toffee-pudding
What you will need for a 9 x 13 inch cake:
- 1/2 cup unsalted softened butter
- 2 cups flour
- 6 oz date paste + 1 cup water
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 and 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 and 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 1-2 tbsp molasses (optional)
Sauce:
- 1 and 1/4 cup yellow brown sugar
- 1/2 cup cream 10% or heavy cream (I’ve used both)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Grease 9 x 13 pan and line the pan with parchment.
In a small sauce pan, break up date paste and mix in with the water until it becomes saucy. Remove from heat, then stir in baking soda, it will get foamy, set aside.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
In a mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs in one at a time. Add half of flour mixture and half of date mixture, then beat to blend; repeat. Mix until blended; do not over beat batter.
Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake for 25 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.
For the sauce, bring the sugar, butter, cream and vanilla to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes.
To serve, cut into squares and serve in a bowl or dessert plate, top with sauce and top with whipping cream if desired. Enjoy!