Sticky Date Pudding
Sticky date pudding is a dessert consisting of a very moist sponge cake, made with finely chopped dates, covered in a toffee sauce and often served with a vanilla custard or vanilla ice-cream. It is considered a British classic by various culinary experts,
Ingredients
- 400g fresh dates, pitted, coarsely chopped
- 375ml (1 1/2 cups) boiling water
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 125g butter, at room temperature
- 215g (1 cup) caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- 225g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- Double cream, to serve
Butterscotch Sauce
- 200g (1 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
- 250ml (1 cup) thickened cream
- 60g butter
- 2 tbsp golden syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Spray a large 6 pan muffin tin Brush a round 22cm (base measurement) cake pan with melted butter, to grease. Line the base of the pan with baking paper.
- Place the dates and water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring the mixture to the boil. Stir in the bicarb. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly. Stir in the ginger.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in date mixture, flour, mixed spice and cloves until well combined.
- Pour mixture into the prepared pan (the mixture will be quite wet). Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Use a skewer to pierce holes in the hot cake.
- For the sauce, stir sugar, cream, butter and golden syrup in a saucepan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until smooth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 1-2 minutes or until thickened.
- Pour 125ml (1/2 cup) of the sauce over the cake. Set aside for 10 minutes to absorb. Run a butter knife around the pan to remove. Cut cake into wedges. Serve with cream and remaining sauce.
