Gluten-Free Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

8 cakes

Moist date cakes covered in a decadent, buttery toffee sauce. A show-stopping (but easy!) holiday dessert everyone will love.

My top tip is to use the highest quality ingredients, including Medjool dates and vanilla bean paste.

Course Dessert

Cuisine British

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 25

Total Time 50

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.

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!

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).