If you’ve ever had sticky toffee pudding and thought, “Wow, I wish this came in cake form,” then buckle up. This Sticky Toffee Cake is everything you love about that cozy, caramel-soaked dessert—only taller, richer, and perfect for sharing. The cake itself is dense but soft, packed with dates, figs, and prunes for that deep natural sweetness. And the icing? Oh, it’s a sticky, glossy dream made with butter, cream, and date syrup that turns into a thick toffee frosting once it cools.
I love how the fruit gives this cake such a rich texture without being heavy, and the lemon zest brightens the flavor just enough to keep it from feeling too sweet. It’s one of those bakes that looks impressive but feels like a warm hug on a plate. You can serve it as-is, or add a drizzle of warm cream or a scoop of ice cream if you’re feeling extra indulgent.
Serves: 8
Category: Cakes
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1½ cups (about 9 oz) pitted dates, roughly chopped
- ¾ cup (about 4 oz) dried figs, roughly chopped
- ½ cup (about 3½ oz) prunes, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup self-rising flour (for coating the fruit)
- 2 lemons (juice of 1, zest of both)
- 1¾ cups self-rising flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
For the Sticky Toffee Icing
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons date syrup
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon butter
- 1¾ cups heavy cream
Instructions
Make the Cake:
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, toss the chopped dates, figs, and prunes with the lemon juice and ¼ cup flour to coat. Stir in the lemon zest and set aside.
In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour if the mixture starts to separate.
Add the remaining flour and baking powder, mixing until just combined. Gently fold in the fruit mixture.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the Toffee Icing:
Combine the date syrup, butter, and heavy cream in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat gently until the butter melts, then bring to a low simmer. Stir frequently and let it bubble for about 30–35 minutes, until thick and glossy. If you have a candy thermometer, remove from heat at 212°F.
To check without a thermometer, drop a small spoonful on a chilled plate—if it thickens into a spreadable consistency after a minute, it’s ready.
Let the icing cool completely in a bowl until it thickens enough to spread.
Assemble the Cake:
Once the cake has cooled, slice it horizontally into two layers. Spread a generous layer of the sticky toffee icing in the middle, then sandwich the layers back together. Coat the top and sides with the remaining icing.
If you want to dress it up, finish with a few edible flowers, chopped dates, or a sprinkle of sea salt flakes for contrast.
This cake is pure comfort—moist, buttery, and covered in sticky toffee goodness that clings to your fork in the best way possible. It’s the kind of dessert that makes you forget all about store-bought sweets and reminds you why homemade baking will always have your heart.