Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Texture: Moist, rich, and buttery!
Taste: Caramelly dates, rich toffee sauce, and a touch of nutmeg.
Ease: An EASY, show-stopping holiday dessert everyone will love.
Top Tips: Use the highest quality ingredients for the best results, including Medjool dates and vanilla bean paste.
Recommended GF Flour: Works great with many gluten-free flour blends. Use a high-quality flour that contains xanthan gum. I like King Arthur Flour and Bob’s Red Mill.
Would I make these again? No question! These are a family favorite dessert for the holidays!
xoxo erin
Sticky toffee pudding cakes are perfectly moist and studded with sticky dates. Add a drizzle of homemade buttery toffee sauce and a touch of heavy cream and you have the ultimate holiday dessert!
This is my go-to recipe for dinner guests during the holidays. It’s a great non-pie dessert option for Thanksgiving or Christmas, and everyone loves the adorable and fancy individual servings!
Table of Contents
- Erin’s Recipe Rundown
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Gluten-Free Sticky Toffee Pudding
- Storage/Make Ahead/Freezing Instructions
- Can this sticky toffee pudding be made dairy-free?
- Can you use regular dates instead of Medjool dates?
- What can you use if you don’t have vanilla bean paste?
- Can this sticky toffee pudding be made egg-free?
- More Gluten-Free Holiday Desserts
- Gluten-Free Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make this gluten-free sticky toffee pudding. Jump to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Dates: I like to use fresh Medjool dates for these cakes. They are soft and caramelly sweet — the highest quality option out there! If you don’t use Medjool, be sure to soak your dates for a long time to ensure they’re fully softened and hydrated.
- Gluten-free flour: It’s important to use a high-quality flour that contains xanthan gum. This will give the cake a texture most similar to traditional sticky toffee pudding. I like King Arthur Flour and Bob’s Red Mill.
- Vanilla bean paste: Vanilla bean paste is flecked with vanilla seeds and has a creamy, velvety flavor really takes this dessert to the next level. I highly recommend using it for an extraordinary cake, but vanilla extract will also work!
- Heavy cream: I like to add a drizzle of heavy cream to the sauce for another layer of richness. You can also add another drizzle of heavy cream when serving!
How to Make Gluten-Free Sticky Toffee Pudding
Here’s an overview of how to make this gluten-free sticky toffee pudding. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
Make the Pudding
- Soak dates: Combine dates, boiling water, baking soda, and vanilla.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Mix wet ingredients: Add butter and brown sugar to a bowl, then beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and combine.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add 1/3 of dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix to combine. Add 1/2 of the date mixture, then the another 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Add the last 1/2 of the date mixture and final 1/3 of the dry ingredients.
- Pour into ramekins: Use a kitchen scoop to portion batter into ramekins.
- Bake: Bake for 22-26 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Make the Sauce
- Combine butter and sugar: Melt butter. Whisk in sugar and salt.
- Add cream: Slowly add in cream while whisking. Remove from heat and add vanilla bean paste. Let cool slightly before pouring over the cakes.
Storage/Make Ahead/Freezing Instructions
- To store: Store any leftover cakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The toffee sauce can be kept in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat the sauce before serving.
- To make ahead: To make this recipe in advance, you can bake and store the cakes in an airtight container at room temperatuer for up to 2 days. The toffee sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance and reheated before serving. Store it in the refrigerator and warm it up gently on the stovetop or in the microwave to serve.
- To freeze: These cakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely, then wrap each cake in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag. The toffee sauce can also be frozen in an airtight container. Thaw both at room temperature, and reheat the sauce before serving.
Can this sticky toffee pudding be made dairy-free?
Yes! For dairy-free sticky toffee pudding, replace the butter with a dairy-free butter alternative. Then swap the heavy cream in the toffee sauce with full-fat coconut milk or a dairy-free cream (like almond or cashew cream).
Can you use regular dates instead of Medjool dates?
Yes, you can use regular dates. However, I highly recommend using Medjool dates because of their natural sweetness and soft texture, which makes for a more moist cake. If using regular dates, you may want to soak them a bit longer to ensure they soften adequately.
What can you use if you don’t have vanilla bean paste?
If you don’t have vanilla bean paste, you can use an equal amount of pure vanilla extract. The flavor will still be delicious, though the vanilla bean paste does add a richer vanilla taste and speckled appearance.
Can this sticky toffee pudding be made egg-free?
Yes, you can substitute each egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken). The texture might be slightly different, but it should still taste delicious.
More Gluten-Free Holiday Desserts
- Gluten-Free Yule Log
- Gluten-Free Little Debbie Christmas Trees
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Pie
- Gluten-Free Peppermint Oreo Pie
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Creme Brulee
- Gluten-Free Crustless Pumpkin Pie (Dairy-Free)
- Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Recipes
- Butterscotch Pudding
Gluten-Free Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake
Ingredients
For the Cakes:
- 10-12 (170g) Medjool dates pitted and chopped
- 3/4 cup (180ml) boiling water
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (150g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons (56g) butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (160g) brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the dates, boiling water, baking soda and vanilla. Let the dates soak for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350F (177C). Lightly grease 8 ramekins (I use 6oz ramekins) with cooking spray. Place on a baking sheet.
- In a medium bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Whisk to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and brown sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy and combined, about 1-2 minutes. While mixing, add the eggs one a time mixing after each addition.
- With the mixer on low, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Add 1/2 of the date mixture and mix. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients followed by the other 1/2 of the date mixture, and mix. Add the final 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix until totally combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the ramekins. Bake for 22-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. Let cool for at least 15 minutes (or more) before plating.
For the toffee sauce:
- Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the sugar and salt. Then cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks puffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- While whisking, slowly add the cream. Continue to whisk and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook for about 3 minutes until thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste. Pour into a serving container or a jar for storing. Serve sauce warm. Sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance then reheated.
- Serve the cakes by turning the cake out onto a plate. Pour over some of the warm sauce and a drizzle of heavy cream if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- To store: Store any leftover cakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The toffee sauce can be kept in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat the sauce before serving.
- To make ahead: To make this recipe in advance, you can bake and store the cakes in an airtight container at room temperatuer for up to 2 days. The toffee sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance and reheated before serving. Store it in the refrigerator and warm it up gently on the stovetop or in the microwave to serve.
- To freeze: These cakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely, then wrap each cake in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag. The toffee sauce can also be frozen in an airtight container. Thaw both at room temperature, and reheat the sauce before serving.
- To make dairy-free: Replace the butter with a dairy-free butter alternative. Then swap the heavy cream in the toffee sauce with full-fat coconut milk or a dairy-free cream (like almond or cashew cream).
Hi I was was wondering what specific gluten free flour was used in this recipe and how much? And also I dont have 6oz ramekins only 4oz glass ones. If I were to use these instead how much batter would go in, and what would the oven temp and time be? Thankyou and can’t wait to try this for Christmas eve !
Hi there, this recipe calls for 1 cup (150g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour. We like King Arthur best! For 4 ounce glass ramekins, the bake time will be shorter and you should fill them 2/3 to 3/4 full. Start checking for doneness around 15 minutes.
What do you do with the dates? Mix them? Just put them in chopped?
Hi Patricia, thanks for checking! The recipe calls for pitted, chopped dates. From there, you’ll combine the dates, boiling water, baking soda and vanilla. Let the dates soak for 15 minutes. Then you’ll add the date mixture to the batter in step 5. Hope that helps!
Really enjoyed making this recipe and the result was yum. I didn’t have brown sugar so I ended up making both the cake and toffee with coconut sugar – I think it probably has slightly toastier/darker flavor but it worked!
Hi Ely, thanks so much for your review! Glad it turned out well with the coconut sugar!
Can you make as a single cake instead of in multiple ramekins?
Hi Norane, yes, you can definitely try it in an 8×8 or 9×9 pan. Bake at 350°F for 25-35 minutes.
Can this be made as a sheet cake? What would the baking time be, if so?
Hi Roxie, thanks for your question! The texture might not be quite as pudding-like, but this could potentially work in an 8×8 or 9×9 pan. If you did a 9×13, you’d want to double the recipe. For an 8×8 or 9×9 pan, bake at 350°F for 25-35 minutes.
T/U! 🙂
This recipe was delicious, my sister who lived in London for some time before she became celiac mentioned how similar this recipe tastes to the cakes you can get in London. We used Cup 4 Cup gluten free flour. Thanks for sharing!
We’re so pleased you enjoyed the recipe so much, Carrie! That’s great feedback from your sister too! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience with us. Happy baking!