Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake with Caramel Sauce

There’s something about “Sticky” and “Toffee” that got my attention over the holidays.  Let me tell you and it does taste exactly like what it sounds and is a perfect dessert to serve up on a cold winter evening.

The cake’s origin takes you over to the northwest country side of England. The story is that it was first created in the 1970s during the winter months in the Lake District where it can get really cold. It was served warm, drizzled with a warm toffee sauce. It slowly became a popular comfort food throughout England. It is now served as a classic holiday dessert in England. It is also a popular dessert in Australia and New Zealand.

Although called a pudding, it is really a very moist cake made with dates and drenched in the buttery toffee sauce.

What I like about it is it is a foolproof moist cake. The secret is to keeping this cake moist is using a water bath while baking the cake.

Tips & Tricks:

1. Key to getting the cake to a sticky pudding feel is to soak the dates in boiling water and baking soda until they just simply fall apart on touch.

2. Use a water bath while baking the cake, this will give you a moist and spongy texture that make the cake just melt in your mouth.

I have it broken down in to the following easy steps for you to follow along..

PART 1- THE CAKE

Ingredients:

2 Cups Chopped Dates (Medjool preferred)

1 Cup Water

1/2Tsp Orange Zest (optional)

1Tsp Vanilla Extract

1Tsp Baking Soda

1.5 Cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour

1Tsp Baking Powder

½Tsp Salt

1 Cup Butter (at room temperature)

½ Cup Dark Brown Sugar

½ Cup Granulated Sugar

2 large Eggs

Method:

Step 1:

2 Cups Chopped Dates (Medjool preferred)

1 Cup Water

1/2Tsp Orange Zest (optional)

1Tsp Vanilla Extract

1Tsp Baking Soda

1. Bring the 1 cup of water to boil.

2. Add the 2 cups of dates, 1 tsp Baking Powder, ½ Tsp Orange Zest(optional) if using to the boiling water.

3. Let soak until the dates fall apart at touch. Add the 1sp Vanilla Extract.

This is almost the single most important step for this cake. The trick to getting that gooey sticky pudding cake is soaking the dates in boiling water and baking soda until they just simply fall apart on touch.

Step  2:

1.5 Cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour

1Tsp Baking Powder

½Tsp Salt

1. Sift 1.5 cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 1 tsp Baking Powder and ½ Tsp Salt. Set aside.

Step 3:

1 Cup Butter (at room temperature)

½ Cup Dark Brown Sugar

½ Cup Granulated Sugar

2 large Eggs

1. In a Mixer, mix together 1 cup Butter (at room temperature), ½ cup Dark Brown Sugar and ½ cup Granulated Sugar

2.When well mixed, add 2 large eggs and mix.

Step 4:

1.Add the date mixture to the wet ingredients in the mixture and mix until all the dates are incorporated

2. Add the sifted flour mix and mix until combined. Set aside.

 

Step 5:

1.Preheat oven to 325F

2. Bring water to a boil in a kettle

3. In the meantime, grease Mini Bundt cake tray with some butter or Pam and coat lightly with flour. You could also use Ramekins or a Muffin Tray.

4. Pour the cake batter into the Mini Bundt tray.

5. Lightly Sprinkle some granulated sugar on top. This is give a slightly crispy base when the cakes are done

6. Place the Mini Bundt tray or Ramekins into a 9×13 inch baking pan, then place in the oven.

7. Once in the baking rack, carefully pour the boiling water around the bottom of the tray. The boiling water should come up to at least half the height of the Mini Bundt tray or the Ramekins.

8. Bake for 35 to 40 mins until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

9. Carefully take the Mini Bundt Tray or Ramekins out of the oven. Keep in mind, at this time, the water bath around the Mini Bundt Tray or Ramekins is really hot.

10. Let cool for an hour…

PART 2 – THE CARAMEL SAUCE

Ingredients:

1.5 Cups Butter

1 Cup Light Brown Sugar

¼ Tsp Sea Salt

1Tbs Cointreau or Bourbon (Optional)

1 Cup Whipping Cream

½Tsp Vanilla Extract

Method:

1. On medium high, heat 5cups of Butter and 1cup Light Brown Sugar in a saucepan until the butter and brown sugar start to boil. Bring the heat to low, and let the mixture simmer until the brown sugar well combined with the butter. This would take about 5-6 mins.

2. Add the ½ Tsp Vanilla, ¼ Tsp Sea Salt and 1Tbs Cointreau or Bourbon if using and simmer addition 2-3 mins.

3. Add the 1cup Whipping Cream and heat until sauce starts to look more like a caramel, about 4-5 mins.

4. Take off the heat and it is ready to serve with the cake…You other option is to grab a spoon and just got for it :)@