Sticky Date Pudding is a wonderful warming winter dessert made with dates and drizzled with an easy butterscotch sauce. Don't let the dates scare you, this is an easy recipe to bake and tastes so good everyone will be asking for more.
You'll love Sticky Date Pudding because it's deliciously rich and buttery, a heartwarming dessert that's also elegant and fancy to serve. Plus it's versatile to make using different size muffin tins to baking a sheet pan cake.
Sticky Toffee Pudding vs Sticky Date
Sticky Toffee Pudding is a British dessert classic, we call it Sticky Date Pudding in Australia and New Zealand. The British version of pudding is very different from the American version, it's more of a sponge cake with a sauce. Developed in the 1970's with disputed origins that became a British favorite. It's heartwarming to eat, rich and comforting, while drizzled in a warm butterscotch sauce.
Don't Be Afraid Of Dates!
Enjoyed for thousands of years, dates are staple in the Middle Eastern diet. I'm not gonna lie, when I think of dates, I think of their.... high fiber effects, and not their tasty qualities. When I first tried Sticky Date Pudding, I didn't believe there were dates in something so delicious.
When buying dates, you want to use the Medjool Dates, as they are plump and large. You might see white stuff on the outside of the dates, that's just crystallised sugar. So don't be scared of eating these healthy, low GI, high fiber, low fat, potassium rich fruits.
Nordic Ware Bundtlette Pan
Whenever I think of a Bundt Cake, I think of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, when she received a Bundt cake, and put a flower inside it. 🤣 Nordic Ware is a cast aluminum pan that has a heavy weight, and is perfect for baking. You're going to love these individual Bundtlette serves of Sticky Date Pudding, a bit retro, a bit fancy.
How To Grease Heritage Bundtlettes
This will be the hardest part of this recipe! There are few rules when greasing bundtlettes. You can't skip preparing the pan, otherwise your sticky date pudding won't come out clean.
- Generously spray with Baking Spray (which has flour mixed through it). Don't use regular cooking spray as it might not coat evenly.
- Grease the pan with melted butter or shortening, getting into each nook and cranny. Dust with flour to coat, shaking off any excess flour. Do not allow the flour to clump in the corners of the shape of the bundtlettes.
- Honestly, I only brush on melted flour. If adding flour, lightly flour, don't use too much flour!
How To Make Sticky Date Pudding
Sticky Date Pudding
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Grease baking tray with butter - Bundtlettes or Texas Muffin Pans
- Place the diced dates in a bowl with 1 cup boiling water and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Let stand for approximately 10 minutes. Do not worry if the liquid is absorbed by the dates. Place dates and excess liquids in food processor and pulse for about 10 seconds until smooth.
- Beat butter and brown sugar until light in color and fluffy in texture. Add eggs one at a time until well blended. Mix in vanilla, flour and baking powder on lower speed until combined. Using a spoon, add the dates until mixed through.
- Pour batter into prepared pan, only filling ⅔ of the way to the top of each baking cavity.
- Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool for about 10 minutes before inverting upside down to remove the individual sticky date pudding serves.
Butterscotch Sauce
- Combine butter, brown sugar and whipping cream into a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a boil while stirring until all the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved. Reduct heat and allow to simmer for 2 minutes.
- Serve your Sticky Date Pudding warm. Drizzle with butterscotch sauce and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Easy Butterscotch Sauce To Die For!
I'm not kidding when I tell you this is the tastiest and easiest butterscotch sauce you will ever make. My Butterscotch Sauce only needs 3 ingredients; butter, brown sugar and whipping cream. There is no complicated instructions either. It's a generous serving of sauce, you can ½ the recipe but I think it's always better to have more sauce!
Recipe Tips and FAQs
- Preparing Dates - roughly cut Medjool dates into 4 pieces removing pits. This recipe alls for 1 cup of dates, which you measure after you cut and de-seed them. Approx 10 Medjool Dates per cup, more if using smaller dates.
- Properly Blend - use a food processor to pulse the dates and excess water until smooth. This is especially important if using Bundtlettes, as you don't want a chunky date pieces on the ridges of the cake.
- Make Ahead - prepare the Sticky Date Pudding and butterscotch sauce the day before you are ready to serve. Quickly re-heat the toffee pudding before serving.
- Add Some Winter Spice - add ½ teaspoon of Mixed Spice or Pumpkin Spice Mix provide extra warmth for this winter dessert. Alternatively mix ½ teaspoon of fresh grated ginger
- Serving Suggestions - serve warm generously drizzled with butterscotch sauce. Optional: serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or vanilla custard.
Can I Use Muffin Tins For Sticky Date Pudding?
Absolutely. The Sticky Date batter makes enough for 4 cups, which helps guide you for muffin pan sizes to fill. If you use Texas Muffin Pans (recommended), and only fill them up ⅔ of the way to the top, this should be enough for a tray of 6. It's even easier with a silicone muffin pan, use what you've got!
Sticky Date Pudding Cake
If making this recipe in a single sheet cake, you will need about 40 minutes of baking. Check with a toothpick by inserting it into the centre. If it comes out clean, then it's baked. An 8" square baking pan will work for this amount batter. Using a toothpick, poke holes all over sticky date cake before you add the sauce. This ensures the caramel flavor seeps right through before serving.
Storage
- Fridge - place in an airtight container and keep refrigerated. Cover butterscotch sauce with cling wrap and keep refrigerated. Enjoy within 3 days.
- Freezer - freeze pudding and butterscotch sauce separately. Place Sticky Date Pudding into a Ziploc bag squeezing out excess air. Freeze and enjoy within 3 months.
Desserts You'll Love
- Pavlova Trifle - A Modern Update
- Honey Joys (made with Corn Flakes)
- No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake
- White Christmas Slice
- Sharlotka Apple Cake
- Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls
- Cream Cheese Pumpkin Roll
- Apple Turnovers with Puff Pastry
This recipe will change your mind about dates! One of my favorite desserts, perfect to make for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Fancy to look at, but easy to make. I promise you, everyone will be asking for seconds. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Ingredients
Sticky Date Pudding
- 1 tablespoon melted butter for greasing pan
- 1 cup Medjool dates pitted and diced
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda bi-carb soda
- ½ cup salted butter 115g or 1x stick of butter
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup all purpose flour 150g sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Butterscotch Sauce
- 1 cup salted butter 2 sticks
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup whipping cream heavy cream
Instructions
Sticky Date Pudding
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Grease baking tray with butter - Bundtlettes or Texas muffin pans
- Place the diced dates in a bowl with 1 cup boiling water and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Let stand for approximately 10 minutes. Do not worry if the liquid is absorbed by the dates. Place dates and excess liquids in food processor and pulse for about 10 seconds until smooth.
- Beat butter and brown sugar until light in color and fluffy in texture. Add eggs one at a time until well blended. Mix in vanilla, flour and baking powder on lower speed until combined. Using a spoon, add the dates until mixed through.
- Pour batter into prepared pan, only filling ⅔ of the way to the top of each baking cavity.
- Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool for about 10 minutes before inverting upside down to remove the individual sticky date pudding serves.
Butterscotch Sauce
- Combine butter, brown sugar and whipping cream into a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a boil while stirring until all the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved. Reduct heat and allow to simmer for 2 minutes.
- Serve your Sticky Date Pudding warm. Drizzle with butterscotch sauce and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Video
Notes
- makes 6 puddings if using a large Texas Muffin tin. If using Bundtlette, will make around 8 puddings
- can reduce butter to ¼ cup of ½ stick for a lighter pudding, however butter adds richness and flavor
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