| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 55 min |
| Prep: | 15 min |
| Inactive: | 10 min |
| Cook: | 30 min |
| Yield: | two 9 inch cakes, or about 20 muffins |
Ingredients
- 1 pound dates, pitted and chopped
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 8 ounces butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/4 tablespoons baking powder
- 1/2 pound butter
- 1 cup brown sugar (8 ounces)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-round cake pans or 20 muffin tins.
- Place the dates in large saucepan with 3 1/2 cups cold water. Bring to boil, stirring a little to break up the dates. Then leave to simmer for 1 minute before removing from the heat. Stir in the baking soda (which will cause the mixture to bubble up).
- Cream the butter and sugar together in a food mixer until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, occasionally scraping down mixing bowl. Add the vanilla extract and then the flour and salt and mix briefly to give a lumpy dough.
- Next, add the warm date mixture in two batches. Scrape down the sides of bowl in between mixing. The dough will now be quite watery but don’t worry! Finally add the baking powder (this will bubble up also).
- Pour the batter evenly into the two pans or muffin tins. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes for cake pans and about 20 minutes for muffin tins. Test if they are cooked with a small knife or toothpick, it should come out clean when cakes are done.
- Meanwhile, to make the sauce, combine the butter, brown sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil and then reduce to simmer gently for a minute or two until thickened and well blended.
- When the cakes are done, poke little holes all over with toothpick, this will enable the sauce to be absorbed more easily. Pour the caramel sauce over cakes while both are still warm and leave to soak for about 10 minutes. Turn the cakes out upside-down onto serving plates (the bottom is the most sticky bit!).
- Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 24 servings |
| Calories | 330 |
| Total Fat | 18 g |
| Saturated Fat | 11 g |
| Carbohydrates | 41 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 29 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Cholesterol | 75 mg |
| Sodium | 272 mg |
Reviews
In the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, the cake calls for 1/4 lbs butter (1 stick). In this recipe, the cake calls for 8 0z butter or 1/2 pound. Quite a difference. I have made the cake from the cookbook; it is great. I haven’t made this version. Just a heads up. I am giving two stars because of the discrepancy; the cookbook version is a 5 star cake.
This is THE ONE. Closest thing to the totally decadent Sticky Toffee Pudding we had in Scotland
Delicious !!
How far in advance can you make this cake?
How far in advance can you make this cake?
Easiest and best sticky toffee pudding!
I made this cake yesterday, delicious! All steps and proportions are very well explained.
I love this cake and have made it numerous times! My daughter is gf and I wondered if it was possible to use gf flour and have it turn out? I use Cup 4 Cup, the Thomas Keller’s gf flour.
Just a question, is the butter used salted or non salted? Thank you!
Absolutely perfect I added chopped pecans for the crunch and rum flick red whip cream to top and of course warm caramel sauce it was hit if Christmas party. Wish I can add picture I have made two tiers Bundt and then decorated with mini ginger bread houses.
Made this cake for the first time and it was a huge success! I followed the recipe exact and it came out great. I may want to add walnuts or pecans for some crunch- either in the cake or sprinkled on top. It was so good!!
Quite simply, one of the best things I’ve ever made. Maximum pay-off for minimum effort. The directions are very explicit and well written. This was my first time cooking with dates. I was worried about pitting them: it was a cinch. I was also worried I didn’t chop them finely enough; no need. They seem to melt away into one of the softest cakes i’ve ever eaten. Absolutely fabulous!