Sticky Date Puddings with Caramel Sauce Recipe
This classic Sticky Date Pudding recipe features moist, sweet date cake muffins topped with a rich and luscious salted caramel sauce. Perfect as a cozy dessert, these puddings are easy to make in a muffin pan and can be served warm for a comforting treat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 10 muffins or 8 large puddings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients
Sticky Date Puddings
- 220 grams (1 and 1/4 cup) dates, pitted and roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 240 ml (1 cup) water
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and smooth
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 90 grams (1/2 cup) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Caramel Sauce
- 150 grams (2/3 cup) unsalted butter, roughly chopped
- 180 grams (1 cup) brown sugar
- 320 ml (1 and 1/3 cup) thickened cream or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) standard or 160°C (320°F) fan-forced. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with large paper muffin liners with high sides to hold the batter well.
- Cook Dates: In a medium saucepan, combine the chopped dates, baking soda, and water. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Simmer Dates: Reduce heat to low and stir for 3-4 minutes until the dates have broken down into a soft mush. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool slightly.
- Mix Sugars and Butter: In a large mixing bowl, combine melted butter, caster sugar, and brown sugar. Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until smooth and fully combined.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Stir in vanilla extract and the egg until mixture is combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients and Dates: Add the plain flour, baking powder, salt, and all the date mixture to the wet ingredients. Gently fold until you have a thick, uniform cake batter.
- Fill Muffin Cases: Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cases, filling them right to the top. This mixture will make about 10 muffins or 8 larger puddings.
- Bake: Bake the puddings for 20-22 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when touched or a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Prepare Caramel Sauce: While the puddings bake, make the caramel sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and thickened cream. Place over medium heat and stir continually until the mixture boils.
- Simmer Caramel: Lower the heat to medium and cook for a few minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Stir in the sea salt.
- Soak Puddings: Optionally prick each pudding several times with a skewer and pour 2-3 tablespoons of caramel sauce over each one. Let them soak for 5 minutes to absorb the sauce.
- Serve: Serve the sticky date puddings warm with additional caramel sauce poured over the top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Muffin Liners: Using large paper muffin liners with high sides helps create bigger puddings. Using regular liners will make smaller puddings that bake faster. For one large pudding, use an 8 or 9-inch muffin pan but extend baking time.
- Storage: Store leftover puddings in an airtight container in the fridge. Cover and refrigerate leftover caramel sauce separately.
- Freezing: Freeze individual puddings wrapped in plastic wrap inside an airtight container. Defrost at room temperature or reheat before serving. Caramel sauce can also be frozen.
- Reheat: Warm leftover puddings in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Reheat caramel sauce by microwaving in short intervals, stirring every 20 seconds until pourable.
