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Classic Sticky Date Pudding served warm with butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream.

Classic Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce

This Classic Sticky Date Pudding is baked in one dish before being served warm with rich homemade butterscotch sauce. Soft, moist and packed with dates, it's the perfect dessert for entertaining, Sunday lunch or any cold winter evening.
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Course: Cake, Dessert, Pudding
Cuisine: Australian, English
Keyword: Butterscotch Sauce, Pudding, Sticky Date, Winter Dessert
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 520kcal

Equipment

  • 20 x 30cm baking dish
  • baking paper
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
  • Medium saucepan
  • Rubber spatula

Ingredients

Date Mixture

  • 300 g pitted dates roughly chopped
  • 300 ml boiling water
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Pudding

  • 125 g unsalted butter softened
  • 180 g brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 200 g self-raising flour
  • ¼ tsp salt

Butterscotch Sauce

  • 125 g unsalted butter
  • 250 g brown sugar
  • 300 ml thickened cream
  • 1 tbsp golden syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

Prepare the Dates

  • Place the chopped dates into a heatproof bowl. Pour over the boiling water and stir through the bicarbonate of soda.
  • Leave to stand for 20 minutes, then mash lightly with a fork or potato masher. Do not drain. Keep all of the soaking liquid.

Make the Pudding

  • Preheat oven to 170°C fan-forced.
  • Grease and line a 20 x 30cm baking dish with baking paper, leaving some overhang on the long sides.
  • Beat the butter and brown sugar until pale and creamy.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • Mix in the vanilla extract.
  • Fold through the self-raising flour and salt until just combined.
  • Add the date mixture, including all the soaking liquid, and stir until evenly incorporated.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top.
  • Bake for 35–42 minutes, or until the centre springs back lightly when touched and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.

Make the Butterscotch Sauce

  • While the pudding is baking, place the butter, brown sugar, cream, golden syrup, vanilla and salt into a medium saucepan.
  • Warm gently over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
  • Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until smooth, glossy and slightly thickened.

Finish and Serve

  • When the pudding comes out of the oven, spoon approximately ⅓ cup of the warm butterscotch sauce evenly over the surface.
  • Leave to stand for 10 minutes.
  • Cut into squares and serve warm with vanilla ice cream and the remaining butterscotch sauce.

Notes

  • Do not drain the dates after soaking. The soaking liquid is part of the batter.
  • Do not overbake the pudding. It should be soft, moist and just cooked through.
  • If the butterscotch sauce looks grainy at first, keep it over gentle heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.
  • Store leftover pudding covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Store the sauce separately and gently reheat before serving.
  • The pudding can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 171mg | Potassium: 268mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 933IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg