Easy Sticky Date Pudding Recipe (With Warm Butterscotch Sauce)

This sticky date pudding recipe makes a soft, moist sponge soaked in warm butterscotch sauce. It’s easy enough for a weeknight and special enough for Christmas.

The secret is in the dates. Soaking them in boiling water first turns them soft and jammy, which keeps the pudding moist.

Sticky date or sticky toffee?

They’re close cousins. The British sticky toffee pudding and the Aussie sticky date pudding use the same base: a date sponge with a toffee sauce.

The Aussie version usually has a bit more date in the sponge and a thinner, pourable butterscotch sauce that soaks right in. It’s often served with vanilla ice cream or custard.

Why soaking the dates matters

Boiling water and bicarbonate of soda break down the date skins, so they mash into a soft paste. That paste spreads through the batter and makes the sponge moist without lots of extra fat.

The bi-carb also helps the pudding rise, along with the baking powder. That’s why it’s sticky but still light.

What you need for this sticky date pudding recipe

• Dates: Medjool dates are softer and sweeter. Regular pitted dried dates are cheaper and work well. Weigh 250 g after removing the pits.
• Brown sugar: light or dark. Dark gives a deeper toffee flavour.
• Thickened cream: makes a rich, pourable sauce.
• Golden syrup: optional, but adds shine and a classic Aussie flavour to the sauce.
• Salt: a pinch in both the pudding and sauce stops it tasting too sweet.

Sticky Date Pudding Recipe (With Warm Butterscotch Sauce)

Recipe by Ella McKenzie

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertCuisine: AustralianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories / per serving

520

kcal

A soft, moist sticky date pudding soaked in a glossy butterscotch sauce. Bake it as a slab, a round cake or 12 muffin-size puddings. Freezes well.

Ingredients

• For the pudding

• 250 g pitted dates, roughly chopped (about 1½ cups)

• 1 cup (250 ml) boiling water

• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (bi-carb)

• 125 g unsalted butter, softened (½ cup)

• 150 g brown sugar (¾ cup, packed)

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 190 g plain flour (1½ cups)

• 1½ tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp fine sea salt

• ½ cup (125 ml) whole milk

• (Optional) ½ tsp ground cinnamon or mixed spice

• For the butterscotch sauce

• 150 g brown sugar (¾ cup, packed)

• 120 g unsalted butter (½ cup)

• 300 ml thickened cream (1¼ cups)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Pinch fine sea salt (plus extra to taste)

• 1 tbsp golden syrup (optional, for shine and depth)

Directions

• Prep dates. Heat oven to 180°C fan (200°C conventional). Grease and line a 20 × 30 cm tin with baking paper. Put chopped dates in a heatproof bowl, pour over boiling water, stir in bi-carb and stand 10 minutes. Blend to a rough puree with a stick blender (or mash well).
• Cream. Beat butter and brown sugar with electric beaters until pale and a bit fluffy (2 to 3 minutes). Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl. Mix in vanilla.
• Combine. Stir warm date puree into the bowl. Sift flour, baking powder, salt (and spice if using) over the batter. Fold in gently, alternating with milk, until just combined with no dry patches.
• Bake. Spread into the tin; smooth the top. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until a skewer comes out with moist crumbs. Don’t over-bake. Rest 5 minutes.
• Make sauce. While the pudding bakes, combine brown sugar, butter and cream in a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy. Stir in vanilla, salt and golden syrup (if using). Keep warm.
• Soak. Poke the hot pudding all over with a skewer. Pour one-third of the hot sauce evenly across the top so it soaks in.
• Serve. Slice and serve warm with extra sauce. Add vanilla ice-cream, custard or lightly whipped cream if you like.

Notes

• Muffin-size puddings: divide the batter between 12 lined holes and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Great for freezing.
• Bundt cake: grease the pan well and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
• Dairy free: use dairy-free butter, and coconut cream in the sauce. It will taste a little of coconut.
• Gluten free: use a 1 to 1 gluten free plain flour blend and add 1 tablespoon almond meal.
• Freezing: cool completely, wrap slices one by one and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Extra sauce: keeps in the fridge for 1 week. Great over pancakes, ice cream or banana bread.

Pan sizes and bake times

It’s ready when a skewer comes out with a few sticky crumbs, not wet batter. Overbaking dries it out fast, so start checking early.

Sticky date pudding troubleshooting

• Dense or heavy: the butter and sugar weren’t beaten enough, the batter was overmixed, or it baked too long.
• Sauce split or greasy: the heat was too high. Take it off the heat and whisk in 1 to 2 teaspoons of cold cream.
• Sunk in the middle: it wasn’t cooked through. Give it 3 to 5 more minutes and test again.
• Too sweet: use dark brown sugar, add a little more salt and serve with plain whipped cream.

Serving ideas

• Classic: warm pudding, warm sauce and cold vanilla ice cream.
• Salted butterscotch: add a pinch of flaky salt to the finished sauce.
• Coffee: stir 1 teaspoon instant coffee into the sauce.
• Christmas: add chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter and 1 tablespoon brandy to the sauce.

Make ahead, freezing and reheating

Pudding: bake up to 2 days ahead and keep covered. Warm at 160°C, covered with foil, for 10 to 12 minutes.

Sauce: make up to 1 week ahead and keep it in the fridge. Reheat gently, whisking.

Freezer: freeze the whole pudding or single squares for up to 3 months. Freezing squares with 2 tablespoons of sauce keeps them extra moist. Reheat in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds or at 180°C for 12 to 15 minutes.

Frequently asked questions

This sticky date pudding recipe is a great one to keep up your sleeve. With dates in the pantry and cream in the fridge, dessert is never more than an hour away.

Happy baking,
Ella x