Quick answer: sticky toffee pudding is a soft date sponge baked at 180°C (160°C fan / Gas 4 / 350°F) for 30–35 minutes, then soaked in a butter, brown sugar and cream toffee sauce. Jump to the recipe ↓
Sticky toffee pudding feels as if it has been on Scottish menus forever, but it is a fairly modern dessert, and nobody can say for certain where it was first made. Scotland’s claim belongs to the Udny Arms Hotel in Newburgh-on-Ythan, Aberdeenshire, which says it first served the pudding in 1967. In England, the Sharrow Bay hotel on Ullswater in the Lake District had a “sticky toffee sponge” on its menu by 1960, adapted from a recipe that came from a Mrs Martin of Claughton in Lancashire, who is said to have had it from Canadian friends during the war years. Wherever it began, it has long been one of the most-ordered puddings in Scottish pubs and hotels.
It isn’t an ancient recipe, but Scotland has made it its own. Our version keeps it simple: a soft date sponge and a buttery toffee sauce that soaks right in.
Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe
Serves 6–8. You need a 20cm (8in) square tin, greased and lined.
Ingredients
For the pudding
- 175g pitted dates, chopped
- 250ml water
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 60g butter, softened
- 150g dark muscovado or soft dark brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 175g self-raising flour
For the toffee sauce
- 150g butter
- 175g soft dark brown sugar
- 150ml double cream
Method
- Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan / Gas 4 / 350°F).
- Put the dates and water in a pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 2–3 minutes until soft. Take off the heat and stir in the bicarbonate of soda (it will foam). Leave to cool a little.
- Beat the butter and sugar together until light, then beat in the eggs one at a time with the vanilla.
- Fold in the flour, then the dates and all their liquid. The batter will be quite runny; that is what keeps the sponge so moist.
- Pour into the tin and bake for 30–35 minutes, until risen and a skewer comes out clean.
- While it bakes, melt the butter, sugar and cream for the sauce in a pan and simmer for 3–5 minutes, stirring, until glossy and thick.
- Prick the hot pudding all over with a skewer and pour over a third of the sauce. Leave for a few minutes to soak in, then cut into squares and serve with the rest of the sauce poured over.
Mini Puddings
Bake the sticky toffee pudding in muffin tins, for cute individualised portions. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 18 – 20 minutes. Serve mini cakes flat-side up, with warm toffee sauce on top. Garnish with chopped walnuts, if desired, then serve with custard, ice cream, or whipped cream.
Make Ahead and Freeze
The cake and sauce can be made up to five days in advance, stored separately, in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Rewarm in the microwave. To Freeze, place in an air-tight freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months.
A Dessert Scotland Has Made Its Own
Sticky toffee pudding grew out of simple post-war cooking, and it has become one of the most loved dishes across Scotland. You’ll find it on pub menus, in country hotels, and at family tables from Aberdeenshire to Dumfries. Warm, rich, and unapologetically comforting, it’s the kind of dessert that feels right at home on a cold Scottish night — and that’s why it’s still such a favourite today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sticky Toffee Pudding actually a Scottish recipe?
Its origin is disputed. Scotland’s claim is the Udny Arms Hotel in Newburgh-on-Ythan, Aberdeenshire, which says it first served it in 1967. The best-known English claim is the Sharrow Bay hotel in the Lake District, where a “sticky toffee sponge” was on the menu by 1960. Either way, it is now a fixture of Scottish pub and hotel menus.
How long does it take to bake?
A whole pudding in a 20cm square tin takes 30–35 minutes at 180°C (160°C fan). Individual puddings in a muffin tin take about 18–20 minutes. The sponge and sauce can be made up to five days ahead and kept separately in the fridge.
Can you freeze Sticky Toffee Pudding?
Yes—place the cooled cake and sauce in separate air-tight freezer containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Simply rewarm in the microwave when you’re ready to serve.
What do you serve with Sticky Toffee Pudding?
The warm toffee sauce is essential, but finish it with custard, ice cream, or whipped cream—and chopped walnuts add a nice texture if you’d like.
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