Easy Sticky Date Pudding Recipe (With Warm Butterscotch Sauce)

The scent of brown sugar and butter melting on the stove is the unofficial winter perfume of my kitchen. When it mingles with vanilla, cream and the toffee-sweetness of simmering dates, everyone knows what’s coming: my sticky date pudding recipe.

The first spoonful is always the same kind of surprise soft, warm sponge that’s almost custardy inside, soaked with silken Butterscotch Sauce that drips into every crumb. If you’re hunting for a keeper that’s easy enough for a weeknight but special enough for birthdays and Christmas, this is it.

This guide walks you through everything you need to make a flawless sticky date pudding recipe at home texture science, pan choices, how to prep dates, and the exact stovetop cues for a sauce that never splits. I’ll also show you how to bake and hold this dessert ahead of time, including a reliable frozen Sticky Date Pudding method so you can stock the freezer for cold nights.

So if you know the dish as Sticky Toffee Pudding (UK) or the classic Australian sticky date pudding recipe we all grew up with, the result should be the same: comfort on a spoon.

Before we dive in, a quick promise. This is a true australian pudding recipe written for home cooks: metric first, cup measures when helpful, and real-life tips from many, many trays baked in my Newcastle oven. I’ll keep the tone friendly and practical, like I’m standing beside you, and I’ll say “pudding” but we both know it’s really a wonderfully sticky cake wearing a caramel coat.

What Is Sticky Date Pudding?

Sticky date pudding is a tender, moist sponge cake built on softened dates and brown sugar, served warm with a buttery toffee sauce. The dates are soaked, often with bicarbonate of soda (bi-carb), then blended or mashed to create a luscious base. The sponge itself is lightly spiced and not too sweet; the richness comes from the Butterscotch Sauce, a quick emulsion of butter, brown sugar and cream poured over in generous amounts.

Sticky Date vs Sticky Toffee

The British Sticky Toffee Pudding and our Australian version are close cousins. The main differences you’ll taste in this sticky date pudding recipe:

• Dates forward: Aussie recipes tend to use a touch more date puree for a plush crumb.
• Sauce style: We prefer a glossy, pourable Butterscotch Sauce that soaks in fast (think velvet rather than caramel taffy).
• Serving: We often bake as one slab or muffin-size “puddings,” then douse with hot sauce and a dollop of vanilla ice-cream.

Why This Sticky Date Pudding Recipe Works

• Balanced sweetness. Extra date puree and brown sugar for depth, with salt and vanilla to keep it from tipping into cloying.
• Perfect crumb. The hot-water + bi-carb soak softens dates and lightly aerates the batter, giving you that signature “sticky but light” texture.
• No-fail sauce. A short simmer plus a tiny splash of golden syrup locks in sheen; the sauce stays silky even after chilling.
• Make-ahead friendly. Bake, cool, and rewarm or freeze; I’ll show you how to keep the pudding as tender as day one.
• Scalable. Bake as a 20 × 30 cm slab, a 20 cm round, a bundt, or 12 individual cupcakes.
• A true Australian recipe for dates. This version honours the café-and-pub style we love while polishing the technique so it works every time.

I’ve written sticky date pudding recipe seven ways for readers over the years; this is the one I serve when people ask for the “best” version and I don’t want to fuss.

A Little Story: Nan’s Winter Crowd-Pleaser

When my parents were renovating, our family dinners migrated to Nan’s tiny unit. She’d put a tray of “sticky date” in the oven before we arrived so by the time the mains came off the stove, the whole place smelt like brown sugar and butter.

My job was to carry the white jug of Butterscotch Sauce to the table and call out “Say when!” while I poured. Nobody ever said “when.” That memory is why I always double the sauce and why this sticky date pudding recipe includes plenty for serving plus extra for the people who “only want a little” but secretly want a lot.

Ingredient Notes & Shopping Guide for Sticky Date Pudding Recipe

Dates

• Medjool vs pitted dried: Medjool are plumper and sweeter; dried (pitted) are more economical. Both work. If using dried, check freshness—their skins should be supple, not dusty.
• Chopping: Remove pits; chop roughly. Precision isn’t crucial because we puree/mashed them after soaking.
• Weight & measure: 250 g pitted dates (about 1 ½ cups chopped) is the sweet spot for this batter.

Sweeteners

• Brown sugar: light or dark; dark brings more toffee and colour.
• Golden syrup (optional, 1 tbsp in sauce): a classic Aussie flavour that adds subtle bitterness and shine.

Leavening

• Bi-carb soda (baking soda) in the hot soak; baking powder in the batter. The dual lift keeps the crumb light and helps the dates soften.

Spices & Flavour

• Vanilla (in both batter and sauce) and salt (essential to balance sweetness).
• Cinnamon or mixed spice is optional; I keep it light so the dates lead.

Fats & Dairy

• Unsalted butter for batter richness and for the sauce; thickened cream (35% fat) for a rich but pourable Butterscotch Sauce. Whole milk softens the crumb.

Tools, Pan & Bake Times

• Best tin: 20 × 30 cm slice tin or 20 cm square (lined).
• Muffins: 12-hole muffin tray (lined), bake 18–20 minutes.
• Bundt: 10–12 cup bundt, bake 40–45 minutes (grease thoroughly).
• Doneness cue: skewer with a few sticky crumbs attached (not wet batter). Over-baking dries the pudding quickly.

Texture Science (Why It’s Sticky Yet Light)

Dates contain natural sugars and soluble fibre. Soaking them in boiling water + bi-carb breaks down the skins and forms a soft paste that disperses through the batter. This creates a custardy, moist crumb without needing lots of fat.

The bi-carb also lightly aerates the mixture, while baking powder gives a second lift in the oven. The result: a pudding that holds sauce like a sponge but eats like a plush cake. If your past attempts ended up stodgy, it was likely under-mixed date paste or over-baked sponge; this sticky date pudding recipe fixes both.

How to Make Sticky Date Pudding (Step by Step)

1. Soak & puree the dates. Cover chopped dates with boiling water, stir in bi-carb and let sit 10 minutes. Blend with a stick blender (or mash well) until mostly smooth—little flecks are fine.
2. Cream butter & sugar. Beat soft butter with brown sugar until fluffier and lighter in colour. This step traps air and improves crumb.
3. Add eggs & vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time; mix in vanilla. If the mixture looks curdled, don’t worry—the flour will bring it back.
4. Combine. Stir through the warm date puree. Sift in flour, baking powder and salt; fold to just combine, then add milk to loosen. Over-mixing toughens the crumb, so stop when you can’t see dry flour.
5. Bake. Spread into a lined tin and bake until a skewer comes out with a few sticky crumbs. Start checking at 28 minutes; mine is usually perfect at 30–32 minutes in a fan oven.
6. Make the sauce. Melt butter, brown sugar and cream together, add a pinch of salt and vanilla (and golden syrup if using). Simmer 2–3 minutes until glossy. Don’t over-boil; it shouldn’t reduce to fudge.
7. Soak & serve. While the pudding is hot, poke a few holes and pour over a third of the sauce to soak. Serve warm slices with extra hot sauce and vanilla ice-cream or custard.

By the way, this sticky date pudding recipe stays tender even after cooling. Reheat gently and it springs right back.

Make-Ahead, Freezing & Reheating

Make-Ahead

• Pudding: Bake up to 2 days in advance. Cool, cover tightly, and keep at room temperature. Rewarm at 160°C for 10–12 minutes, covered with foil.
• Sauce: Make up to 1 week ahead; refrigerate. Reheat in a small saucepan over low heat, whisking, or microwave in short bursts.

Freezing (Frozen Sticky Date Pudding)

• Whole slab: Wrap in baking paper and foil; freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm in a 160°C oven, covered, 15–20 minutes.
• Individual serves: Cut squares, wrap, and freeze with 2 tbsp sauce in zip bags. Reheat from frozen in the microwave (60–90 seconds) or oven (180°C, 12–15 minutes). The sauce protects the crumb from freezer dryness.

Leftovers

Cover and chill for 4–5 days. The sauce thickens in the fridge; reheat till pourable.

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Serving Ideas & Flavour Twists

• Classic café style: warm pudding, warm sauce, cold vanilla ice-cream.
• Salted butterscotch: add an extra pinch of flaky salt to the finished sauce.
• Espresso kick: stir 1 tsp instant espresso into the sauce to balance sweetness.
• Christmas flair: add chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter and a splash (1 tbsp) of brandy to the sauce—perfect rocking it as a Christmas Aussie recipe.
• Date night: serve in ramekins with a brandy-snap shard and double cream.

Troubleshooting (Quick Fixes)

• Dense or heavy pudding? You may have over-mixed, skipped the creaming step, or baked too long. Next time, beat the butter/sugar well and pull the tray when there are a few sticky crumbs on the skewer.
• Sauce split or greasy? Heat was too high. Remove from heat and whisk in a teaspoon of cold cream; it should re-emulsify.
• Pudding sinking in the centre? Oven too cool or under-baked. Give it another 3–5 minutes; test again.
• Too sweet? Use dark brown sugar, add a pinch more salt, and drizzle sauce in moderation. A scoop of unsweetened whipped cream balances it beautifully.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Some desserts are a party trick. This one is a promise: if you keep dates in the pantry and cream in the fridge, you’re never more than an hour away from a table of smiling people.

With its soft crumb, rich aroma and river of warm sauce, this sticky date pudding recipe captures everything I love about baking for family reliability, generosity and a little nostalgia. Use it as your winter staple, your Sunday showstopper, or your make-ahead gift to future-you (there’s a reason I keep a frozen Sticky Date Pudding tucked away).

However you serve it, let the sauce flow and the plates stay warm. Happy baking.