Large Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake
By America's Test KitchenPublished on April 12, 2013
Time
1¾ hours
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
Pudding Cakes
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 ¼ ounces [177 grams], plus more for dusting the ramekins)1 ¼ cups whole date, pitted, cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices¾ cup warm water ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ¾ cup packed brown sugar (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams), light or dark2 large eggs 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick), meltedToffee Sauce
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)1 cup packed brown sugar (7 ounces/198 grams), light or dark⅔ cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon rum ½ teaspoon juice from 1 lemon Crème Anglaise or vanilla ice creamBefore You Begin
To make the cake ahead of time, cover and refrigerate the unbaked batter for up to 24 hours; bake as directed in step 4. The sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead of time; reheat on medium-high heat in the microwave, stirring often, until hot, about 3 minutes. When baking, it is important to form a tight seal with the foil to trap the steam inside the roasting pan.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 8-inch square baking dish and set it in large roasting pan lined with clean towel. Bring kettle or large saucepan of water to boil over high heat.
- Combine half of dates with water and baking soda in glass measuring cup (dates should be submerged beneath water) and soak for 5 minutes. Drain dates, reserving liquid, and transfer to medium bowl. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in another medium bowl.
- Process remaining dates and brown sugar in food processor until just blended, about five 1-second pulses. Add reserved soaking liquid, eggs, and vanilla and process until smooth, about 5 seconds. With food processor running, pour melted butter through feed tube in steady stream. Transfer this mixture to bowl with softened dates.
- Gently stir dry mixture into wet mixture until just combined and date pieces are evenly dispersed. Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Add enough boiling water to reach halfway up sides and cover pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until outer 2 inches develop small holes and center has puffed and is firm to touch, about 40 minutes. Immediately remove dish from water bath and set on wire rack.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in brown sugar until smooth. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and mixture looks puffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Slowly pour in cream and rum, whisk just to combine, reduce heat, and simmer until frothy, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, cover to keep warm, and set aside.
- Liberally poke top of pudding with paring knife or wooden skewer; pour toffee sauce over pudding and spread evenly with rubber spatula. Cool for 10 minutes, cut into squares, and serve accompanied by crème anglaise or vanilla ice cream.
for the cake
for the toffee sauce
Time
1¾ hoursYield
Serves 8Ingredients
Pudding Cakes
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 ¼ ounces [177 grams], plus more for dusting the ramekins)
1 ¼ cups whole date, pitted, cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices
¾ cup warm water
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup packed brown sugar (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams), light or dark
2 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick), melted
Toffee Sauce
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 cup packed brown sugar (7 ounces/198 grams), light or dark
⅔ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon rum
½ teaspoon juice from 1 lemon
Crème Anglaise or vanilla ice cream
Ingredients
Pudding Cakes
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 ¼ ounces [177 grams], plus more for dusting the ramekins)
1 ¼ cups whole date, pitted, cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices
¾ cup warm water
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup packed brown sugar (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams), light or dark
2 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick), melted
Toffee Sauce
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 cup packed brown sugar (7 ounces/198 grams), light or dark
⅔ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon rum
½ teaspoon juice from 1 lemon
Crème Anglaise or vanilla ice cream
Ingredients
Pudding Cakes
1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 ¼ ounces [177 grams], plus more for dusting the ramekins)
1 ¼ cups whole date, pitted, cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices
¾ cup warm water
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup packed brown sugar (5 ¼ ounces/149 grams), light or dark
2 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick), melted
Toffee Sauce
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 cup packed brown sugar (7 ounces/198 grams), light or dark
⅔ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon rum
½ teaspoon juice from 1 lemon
Crème Anglaise or vanilla ice cream
Why This Recipe Works
To develop a sticky toffee pudding cake recipe with tolerable sweetness and a moist, tender crumb, we broke with tradition when choosing a sweetener, using brown sugar instead of treacle. To get the moist cakes we were looking for, we not only baked them in a water bath but also covered the pan with aluminum foil to seal in the steam while they cooked.
Before You Begin
To make the cake ahead of time, cover and refrigerate the unbaked batter for up to 24 hours; bake as directed in step 4. The sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead of time; reheat on medium-high heat in the microwave, stirring often, until hot, about 3 minutes. When baking, it is important to form a tight seal with the foil to trap the steam inside the roasting pan.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 8-inch square baking dish and set it in large roasting pan lined with clean towel. Bring kettle or large saucepan of water to boil over high heat.
- Combine half of dates with water and baking soda in glass measuring cup (dates should be submerged beneath water) and soak for 5 minutes. Drain dates, reserving liquid, and transfer to medium bowl. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in another medium bowl.
- Process remaining dates and brown sugar in food processor until just blended, about five 1-second pulses. Add reserved soaking liquid, eggs, and vanilla and process until smooth, about 5 seconds. With food processor running, pour melted butter through feed tube in steady stream. Transfer this mixture to bowl with softened dates.
- Gently stir dry mixture into wet mixture until just combined and date pieces are evenly dispersed. Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Add enough boiling water to reach halfway up sides and cover pan tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until outer 2 inches develop small holes and center has puffed and is firm to touch, about 40 minutes. Immediately remove dish from water bath and set on wire rack.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in brown sugar until smooth. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and mixture looks puffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Slowly pour in cream and rum, whisk just to combine, reduce heat, and simmer until frothy, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, cover to keep warm, and set aside.
- Liberally poke top of pudding with paring knife or wooden skewer; pour toffee sauce over pudding and spread evenly with rubber spatula. Cool for 10 minutes, cut into squares, and serve accompanied by crème anglaise or vanilla ice cream.
for the cake
for the toffee sauce
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