Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

My dessert designer brain wanted to see how I could elevate the classic sticky toffee pudding. I decided to make a cake, but fellow bloggers have made sticky toffee pudding cakes before. I had to find a way to make mine unique. Now those of you that know me well know that I have an addiction to topping my desserts with other desserts.

I decided to top my cake with French toast bites and I knew I made the right decision when I saw my family pinching the French toast bites off the top of the cake before I was able to serve it. I had to chase them away with the cake slice!

WHAT DOES STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING CAKE TASTE LIKE?

It literally tastes like if sticky toffee pudding and a cake had a baby. Traditionally sticky toffee pudding is made with softened dates, but don’t worry if you are a date hater (like myself) it does not taste like dates at all. What makes this cake irresistible is the secret sauce…ok it’s not a secret it’s homemade toffee sauce. I could literally drink this from a cup, its delicious.

HOW IS TOFFEE SAUCE DIFFERENT TO CARAMEL SAUCE?

Toffee sauce is made by adding all the ingredients to a sauce pan and heating until the brown sugar is melted and everything is combined. It’s much easier and just as delicious to make than caramel sauce.

Caramel sauce is made by melting white sugar in a sauce pan until it melts completely. Next you add the cream and butter then return to the heat until you have a caramel sauce. It is thicker and stickier than toffee sauce.

WHERE DOES THE TOFFEE SAUCE GO?

Well my friend it goes everywhere. You pour some over the cake layers which seeps into the cake which transforms it into sticky toffee pudding cake heaven. After you have finished icing the cake you drizzle some of the toffee sauce on top and down the sides and of course christen the French toast bites with a little drizzle too. I recommend warming up some of the toffee sauce and pouring it over each slice of cake before serving!

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING CAKE TIPS

• Do not over bake this cake, you want it to be fluffy and moist. Now if you do over bake it don’t worry too much as you will pour the toffee sauce over each layer of cake which will add moistness back in.
• Save some of the toffee sauce for serving, drizzle over the cake slices before serving…heavenly. You could even take it a step further and serve the cake slices warm (my fav) with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in the side.
• Fry the French toast bites low and slow to make sure they are cooked as they can taste a bit eggy otherwise. You want the outside to be nice a crispy, then roll those babies in sugar and try not to eat all of them before you put them on top of the cake.

WHEN SHOULD I MAKE THIS STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING CAKE?

The answer is simple: whenever you feel like it! This cake is so delicious and looks super impressive. It’s not hard to make at all and you do not need to be a pro cake decorator. The cake had a rustic look which so it does not need to be iced perfectly.

This cake is would be great served in Autumn or Christmas as it has a cosy vibe about it. However it is great all year round and is a easy to make showstopper.

If you like this recipe check these out…

• Apple pie cheesecake tacos
• Salted caramel ‘Matilda’ cake

Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

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Serves: 12-16 Prep Time: 2 Hours Cooking Time: 30 Mins 30 Mins

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 3.3/5

( 7 voted )

Ingredients

Sticky toffee pudding cake

• 230g pitted dates
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 tsp bicarbonate soda
• 200g soft dark brown sugar
• 100g caster sugar
• 230g butter
• 1tbsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 410g plain flour
• 1tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Toffee sauce

• 200g soft dark brown sugar
• 160ml double cream
• 160g butter
• 1/2 tsp salt

Vanilla buttercream

• 300g butter
• 600g icing sugar
• 1tbsp vanilla extract
• 1-2tbsp milk

French Toast Bites

• 1 large loaf white bread (uncut)
• 1 egg
• 200ml
• 1tbsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

1. 1. 1. 1.  Add 1 cup/240ml boiling water over the dates & the bicarbonate of soda. Leave to soak for 30 mins. Pulse the dates a little in a food processor/chopper.
         2. Cream the butter, sugars & vanilla extract together, then add the eggs, the dates then the flour, baking powder & salt.
         3. Mix until combined. Line 3 x 6” cake tins, bake @170c 25-30 mins.

Toffee Sauce

1. 1. 1. 1. Add all the ingredients int a sauce pan, bring to the boil, then simmer for 2-3 mins. 
         2. Cut the tops off the cakes, pour 4-5tbsp toffee sauce over each cake whilst they are warm. Leave to soak in and cool completely. Cover loosely with a sheet of cling film so they do not dry out. Do not use all the sauce, leave some for pouring over the top of the cake and for serving.
         3. Once cool, completely wrap each cake in cling film to keep them moist until you are ready to ice.
         4. The remaining toffee sauce cover with cling film, it will become thicker as it cools and become the perfect consistency to drip down the sides of the cake.

Vanilla Buttercream

1. 1. 1. 1. Cream the room temperature butter using a stand mixer or electric hand beater. Add the vanilla extract, then stages add the sifted icing sugar, loosen with milk until combined and creamy.

French Toast bites 

1. 1. 1. 1. Slice a large white loaf of bread into rectangles. Let them become a but stale so they are easier to slice into cubes.  Mix the milk & eggs in a bowl, dunk the bread cubes in and fry each side until crispy.
         2. Roll then in sugar and pile them on top of the cake.

Assemble

1. 1. 1. 1. Ice the cake, not not add icing all around the sides as it’s a naked cake, smooth with a cake scraper or spatula. Drizzle some of the remaining toffee sauce over the top of the cake & down the sides.
         2. Served each slice of cake with a drizzle of  some warmed toffee sauce.

Did You Make This Recipe?

Let's see! Tag me on Instagram at @emsfoodiefix.