Sticky Toffee Pudding is a deliciously gooey British dessert consisting of moist Sponge Cake lathered in warm Toffee Sauce. Also known as Sticky Date Cake in Australia and New Zealand. Medjool Dates are the star of the show here, they add a dense, sticky consistency to the base which is perforated with holes, then penetrated by the rich and creamy Toffee Sauce. Best served warm with a cold glass of Milk or Vanilla Ice Cream. Add some Walnuts or Pecans on top for crunch and added nutrition.
This version is so easy to make; with all the ingredients being added to a food processor and blitzed to a batter before baking. The sauce is made stove top in under five minutes while the cake cools. My kind of baking.
Dates are a revered superfood native to the Middle East, with many references to them in the Holy Quran. This holy fruit of the ages is mentioned 22 times alone in Surat Maryam (the Chapter about the Virgin Mary). Notably, Mary gives birth to Jesus underneath a date tree where she is told by a voice to eat the dates from the tree to nourish her during childbirth and to help ease her labor pains.
Dates are rich in nurtients and are an excellent source of fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6, iron and copper. They contain antioxidants, polyphenols, and phytonutrients. They help regulate blood pressure, maintain energy levels, and support heart, brain, skin and bone health as well as aid in digestion and promote wound healing.
In the UK, Sticky Toffee Pudding is made with the addition of Black Treacle. Since it’s an ingredient that’s difficult to get outside of the UK, I decided not to use it. If you’d like to add it, add 2 Tbsps. Treacle to the cake and 1 Tsp. to the Sauce. Molasses is the closest US equivalent to Black Treacle, albeit stronger; you could try adding just a little if you’d like.