Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

This cake was made for last Christmas dinner.  It was gone the next day.  Who knew dried dates could make such a wonderful dessert!

 It’s a British dessert, and it’s not actually pudding. Pudding literally just  means dessert. So this sticky toffee dessert is exactly what it sounds like!  This recipe is from the Joy Of Cooking 75th Anniversary edition cookbook. This would make a great holiday cake for Christmas or Thanksgiving! Its warm and comforting, and best of all it has butterscotch toffee sauce!

Sticky Toffee Pudding
8 servings
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour eight 6-ounce ramekins or a 9×2 inch square baking pan. (I used a fluted cake pan)

Combine in a small saucepan:

• 1 1/2 cups pitted dates, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups water

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in:

• 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda   ( i know this isn’t the greatest picture, but it just shows you how the mixture will puff up once you add the baking soda, it will be really airy and spongy.

Set aside. Whisk together in a small bowl:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder

Beat in large bowl on high speed until lightened in color and fluffy:

• 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons  ( 3/4 stick) butter, unsalted, softened

Beat in one at a time:

• 3 large eggs

Beat in:

• 1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla

Gradually add the flour mixture, beating on low just until mixed. Stir in the date mixture, until just combined. Pour into the prepared dish(es).

If using ramekins, put them on a baking sheet. Bake until the pudding is a deep golden brown and a skewer inserted in comes out moist but clean, 20-25 minutes. About 35 minutes for a single larger dish. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the dish(es), then turn out the pudding and invert onto the rack, right side up, to cool slightly. Serve warm, each serving covered generously with warm Butterscotch Sauce.

 Warm Butterscotch Sauce:

Cook, stirring over medium-low heat in a medium heavy saucepan:

• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter ( 1/2 stick)
• 1/8 tsp. salt

Stir to dissolve sugar. Increase heat to medium-high and without sitrring, boil until as thick as corn syrup. about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly. Add:

• 2/3 cup heavy cream

Allow sauce to thicken on the countertop at room temperature for a while before serving. It makes it nice and gooey and delicious!!

You can make this ahead of time.  When you are eating dinner stick the cake back in the oven to warm.  Just before serving, poke the cake and pour some of the sauce over it.  Use the remainder of the sauce to pour over individual pieces and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.