Easy Gluten Free Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe (2024)

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When it comes to the ultimate treat dessert it doesn't get much better than a Gluten Free Sticky Toffee Pudding.

The sweet sponge is drowned in lashings of toffee sauce to make just the most indulgent treat ever. And it's completely gluten free and coeliac-safe!

Whenever I go out for dinner I always find dessert the hardest thing and watching others get stuck into a sticky toffee pudding cake was always soul-destroying.

But now I've created a gluten free version of this classic pud which looks better than anything I've seen others eat in a restaurant!

The cake is made with dates giving it a rich flavour and sticky texture and the thick toffee sauce is so amazing I want to bathe in it.

If you want a gluten free pudding recipe which will be a real crowdpleaser than this is definitely it.

I always feed this to my family and they absolutely love it - none of them are gluten free but they say they wouldn't know the difference!

It's a great dessert for Christmas or when you've got a special occasion and want to create a treat for a crowd of people.

Easy Gluten Free Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe (1)

What's the difference between sticky toffee and sticky date pudding?

Did you know that sticky toffee pudding and sticky date pudding are actually the same thing?

Sticky toffee pudding is a rich and sticky dessert with a thick toffee sauce on top - and is usually made with chopped dates.

However in Australia and New Zealand it's more commonly known as sticky date pudding.

So whichever one you're searching for, you've definitely come to the right place!

Easy Gluten Free Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe (2)

Sticky Toffee Pudding Ingredients

There's a full printable recipe card below with the full ingredients and method, but here are the main bits you'll need for the shopping list.

  • Medjool Dates: The key part of this recipe involves boiling the chopped dates with water to make a delicious toffee base for your cake. Don't worry if you don't like dates - if you chop them super fine you'll never know they're there! But they're so important for creating the texture in this sticky cake.
  • Unsalted Butter: If you wanted to make this cake dairy free, you could use a dairy free alternative instead of butter.
  • Sugar: I use a mixture of dark brown sugar and caster sugar in this recipe - both for the sauce and the cake. The dark brown gives this a deep toffee flavour. Light brown sugar would work too but might be slightly less richer in flavour.
  • Eggs: I've not tried this with an egg substitute so not sure how it would work. The eggs are used to bind the cake together so unfortunately the recipe is not vegan.
  • Self-raising gluten free flour: I use the FREEE self raising flour but any variety would work. If you only have a plain or All Purpose gluten free flour, add 1 tsp baking powder per 100g of flour.
  • Double Cream: I use this to create the rich sauce do you'd need to find a dairy free alternative if you want to make this recipe dairy free. In the US you'll want a heavy cream for this recipe.

Don't forget the full recipe is below in the recipe card with all the quantities.

Easy Gluten Free Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe (3)

Can I freeze this sticky toffee pudding?

The good news if you're making this in advance is that you can freeze it.

Personally I would freeze the cake before adding the toffee sauce and then freeze them both separately, defrosting thoroughly before heating.

I have also frozen leftovers of this with the sauce and it worked just as well.

Any leftover sauce can be kept in a heatproof glass jar - then to heat it up simply plate in a pan of hot water until it loosens.

To store this pudding you can keep it either in a sealed container at room temperature, or in the fridge.

Easy Gluten Free Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe (4)

My gluten free sticky toffee pudding recipe

This gluten free sticky toffee pudding recipe is a really easy recipe to create for a family gathering.

It feeds 6-8 people, depending on how big a slice you want!

I do find it very rich so I'd say serving 8 would be perfect if you add some ice-cream or custard into the mix.

And if you want a visual reference of how to make this recipe, I've uploaded a video right here to help out!

If youmake this recipe and love it, please do let me know bytagging me on my Instagramor using#theglutenfreeblogger. I love seeing your bakes!

And please do leave a review to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me.

Easy Gluten Free Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe (5)

Yield: 8

Gluten Free Sticky Toffee Pudding

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

This easy gluten free sticky toffee pudding is a really easy dessert which everyone will love. A classic dessert with a rich, warm toffee sauce.

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 200g medjool dates (stones removed)
  • 250ml boiling water
  • 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 50g unsalted butter (+ extra for greasing)
  • 100g dark brown sugar
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 200g self-raising gluten free flour
  • 1.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the sauce:

  • 200ml double cream
  • 130g unsalted butter
  • 150g dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

For the cake:

  1. Finely chop the dates. Add to a saucepan with the boiling water and the vanilla extract. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat. Allow to cool for around 10 minutes before you make the cake batter.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180’C / Fan 160C / Gas Mark 4. Add the butter and sugars to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk for 1-2 minutes.
  3. Add the eggs then beat again until combined. Sift in the flour and bicarbonate of soda and beat again for another minute. Add the dates and fold in using a spatula until fully combined.
  4. Grease a 30cm x 20cm dish with the extra butter and pour in the batter. Bake in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes until the cake starts to come away from the sides of the dish. Set aside to cool slightly while you make the sauce.

For the sauce:

  1. Melt the butter, vanilla essence and sugar in a large pan over a low heat, stirring regularly. Once the sugar has dissolved add the cream, bring to the boil and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
  2. Pour the sauce over the warm cake and serve straight away. Can also be served with extra custard or ice-cream too.

Need some more gluten free dessert inspiration?

Want to have a go at some of the other gluten free dessert recipes on the blog once you've made this sticky toffee pudding?

  • Gluten Free Twix Cheesecake
  • Easy Christmas Pudding
  • Gluten Free Jaffa Cake Trifle
  • Key Lime Pie

If you do make this recipe please let me know! I’d love to see your photos using #theglutenfreeblogger,share them inmy Facebook groupor tag me onInstagram.

And if you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know in the comments what you’d like to see next!

Like this Gluten Free Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe?

Make sure youpin the recipe card below for later!

Easy Gluten Free Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe (6)
Easy Gluten Free Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe (7)
Easy Gluten Free Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between sticky date pudding and sticky toffee pudding? ›

Sticky toffee pudding, known as sticky date pudding in Australia and New Zealand, is a British dessert consisting of a moist sponge cake made with finely chopped dates (optional), covered in a toffee sauce and often served with a vanilla custard or vanilla ice-cream.

Why baking soda in sticky toffee pudding? ›

Adding bicarbonate of soda to the pud helps it rise. It also helps break down the dates and disperse them through the mixture so they don't sink to the bottom.

Why can't you reheat sticky toffee pudding? ›

The sponge is at its best on the day it is made as if the whole sponge is reheated in an oven there is the risk that it can dry out a little. The sponge will also become firmer when it is stored in the fridge.

Do the Irish eat sticky toffee pudding? ›

Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake is a deliciously moist, date cake drenched in a warm butterscotch-toffee sauce. It's a classic and iconic British dessert popular in Scotland, England, and Ireland.

What is a fun fact about sticky toffee pudding? ›

That's right, this yummy pudding was created by Canadians! Decades later, Martin gave the recipe to Sharrow Bay Country House Hotel employees Francis Coulson and Robert Lee. They were the first people to publically sell this sticky sensation, which inevitably became an international smash.

Should you refrigerate sticky toffee pudding? ›

Do the puddings need to be refrigerated? Yes!

What is another name for sticky toffee pudding? ›

Sticky Date Pudding – you're my favourite and always will be. Also known as Sticky Toffee Pudding, the simple trick that makes all the difference is to pour some Butterscotch Sauce over the warm cake when it comes out of the oven.

What country is sticky toffee pudding from? ›

Why did my toffee turned out chewy? ›

Low and slow. Simmering the syrup for English toffee to the requisite 300°F temperature can (and should) be a slow process — up to 20 minutes or so. Don't hurry this gradual transformation; syrup that doesn't reach 300°F, or close to it, will make candy with timid flavor and chewy (not crunchy) texture.

Why is my sticky toffee pudding dense? ›

Overmixing can result in a dense and tough pudding due to overdeveloped gluten. Mix until just combined. Baking Time - Keep a close eye on the baking time. Overbaking can lead to a dry cake, so use a toothpick to check for doneness.

Why is my sticky toffee pudding runny? ›

If you serve up the pudding the minute it comes out of the oven then it may be slightly on the runny side, but if you let the pudding stand for 5-10 minutes before serving it then the sauce should thicken a little.

Is sticky toffee pudding served with custard or ice cream? ›

While I personally prefer to have my sticky toffee pudding served with a rather large dollop of cornish clotted cream, a cool scoup of vanilla ice cream is prevelant.

Why can't you freeze sticky toffee pudding? ›

You could freeze leftover portions of the pudding in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Freeze the sauce in a separate airtight container. Thaw the sponge and sauce overnight in the fridge. Reheat the sponge in the microwave and reheat the sauce in a saucepan over a low heat, stiring occasionally.

Can you use dried dates in sticky toffee pudding? ›

Dates sold in packets or resealable bags are only partially dried and can be eaten straight from the packet. Unless they are very dry and chewy, they are suitable for the sticky toffee pudding, as they are chopped and will soften more when they soak in the hot water and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda).

What does sticky date pudding taste like? ›

What does sticky toffee pudding taste like? Quite literally, heavenly! If you've never eaten one before, think of a light, moist brown sugar sponge cake covered in a sweet, sticky toffee sauce. Although the sponge itself is light, the dates also add a sticky, slightly chewy toffee like texture.

Does sticky toffee pudding traditionally have dates? ›

This traditional English sticky toffee pudding has the texture of a sponge-like cake that is super moist and full of sweet dates. The cake batter is baked on top of toffee sauce, then even more toffee sauce is poured on top.

Is Christmas pudding the same as sticky toffee pudding? ›

Like the Christmas pudding and figgy puddings before it, the sticky toffee pudding is usually steamed for maximum moisture. Instead of figs, however, very finely chopped dates are added to the cake, which gets covered in a toffee sauce.

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