James Martin Sticky Toffee is made with sweet dried dates, dark brown demerara sugar, black treacle, and golden syrup. This recipe creates a rich, moist sponge cake that is remarkably light, smothered in a smooth, buttery homemade toffee sauce. It is the ultimate comforting dessert for a holiday feast or a special weekend treat, serving enough for 8 people.
Try More Recipes:
Why You Will Love This Sticky Toffee Recipe:
- The Texture is Smooth: Unlike some recipes that leave chewy chunks of fruit in the sponge, James Martin purées the dates completely. This ensures the cake is uniformly moist and soft without any “bits.”
- It’s Not Heavy: The secret step of adding bicarbonate of soda to the boiling dates creates a chemical reaction that aerates the batter. This means the pudding rises beautifully and feels light in your mouth, even though it is rich in flavor.
- Deep Toffee Flavor: By using both golden syrup and black treacle, the sponge has a complex, dark caramel flavor with slightly bitter undertones, rather than just tasting like plain sugar.
- The Ultimate Sauce: The toffee sauce is foolproof. It uses equal parts butter and sugar with double cream to create a glossy, pourable caramel that soaks right into the pores of the sponge.
- Make-Ahead Magic: This is one of the few desserts that actually tastes better if you make it a day in advance. The sponge becomes stickier as it sits, making it the perfect stress-free dessert for hosting.
James Martin Sticky Toffee Ingredients
For the Pudding:
- 75g soft butter (25g for greasing, 50g for the batter)
- 175g dark brown demerara sugar
- 200g self-raising flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 200g pitted dried dates
- 300ml water
- 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
- 2 tbsp black treacle
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Toffee Sauce:
- 100g sugar (brown or white works)
- 100g butter
- 200ml double cream
How To Make James Martin Sticky Toffee
- Prep the tin: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Thoroughly grease a 23cm (9-inch) square cake tin with 25g of the butter and dust it with a little flour.
- Cream the butter: In a food mixer or using a hand beater, blend the remaining 50g of butter with the dark brown sugar. Beat until the mixture is well combined.
- Add wet ingredients: Slowly add the golden syrup, black treacle, eggs, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture while beating.
- Fold in flour: Turn the mixer to a slow speed (or use a spoon) and gently fold in the self-raising flour until just combined. Turn off the mixer.
- Prepare the dates: Place the dates and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Pour the mixture into a blender and purée until smooth. Add the bicarbonate of soda.
- Combine and bake: While the date purée is still hot, quickly pour it into the egg and flour batter. Mix until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is firm to the touch.
- Make the sauce: While the pudding bakes, place the butter, sugar, and double cream in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens and turns golden.
- Serve: Allow the pudding to cool slightly, then cut it into squares. Serve warm with plenty of hot toffee sauce poured over the top.
Recipe Tips
- The Bicarb Reaction: Adding bicarbonate of soda to the hot date mixture causes a chemical reaction. It breaks down the skins of the dates and aerates the mixture, which ensures the pudding is light and fluffy rather than heavy.
- Use Hot Dates: It is important to add the date puree to the batter while it is still hot. This heat helps activate the baking agents immediately.
- Treacle is Key: Do not skip the black treacle. It gives the pudding its signature dark color and slightly bitter, caramelized flavor which balances the sweetness of the sugar.
- Sauce Consistency: If the toffee sauce is too thin, keep simmering it gently. The water in the cream needs to evaporate to leave behind a thick, sticky caramel.
What To Serve with Sticky Toffee?
Balance this Sticky Toffee with a neutral, creamy topping. Vanilla ice cream is the classic choice for a hot-cold contrast, while thick clotted cream or crème fraîche helps cut through the sugar. For ultimate comfort serve it with warm custard.
How To Store Leftovers Sticky Toffee?
- Refrigerate: Store the sponge and the sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: The sponge freezes brilliantly. Wrap individual squares in cling film and freeze for up to 3 months. The sauce can also be frozen in a container.
How To Reheat Letfovers Sticky Toffee?
The Golden Rule: Moisture is key. Never reheat the sponge “dry” for too long, or it will become hard. Always reheat it with a little sauce or cover it to keep the steam in.
1. The Microwave Method (The Best & Quickest)
- Prep: Place a square of the pudding in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Sauce: Pour a generous amount of toffee sauce over the sponge.
- Heat: Microwave on high for 30 to 45 seconds.
- Result: The sauce will be bubbling and the sponge will be soft and piping hot.
2. The Oven Method (Best for the Whole Cake)
- Preheat: Set your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Poke: Poke holes all over the sponge with a skewer or fork.
- Pour: Pour about half of your toffee sauce over the cold pudding.
- Cover: Cover the tin tightly with aluminum foil. This creates a steam bath inside the tin.
- Bake: Heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Serve: Serve the remaining sauce in a jug on the side.
FAQs
Yes, but you must add baking powder. Use 200g of plain flour mixed with 2.5 teaspoons of baking powder to get the same rise.
James Martin's Saturday Morning
Get the ultimate collection of 100+ comfort food recipes while it's 50% OFF.
Check Price: £12.50 »This usually happens if the oven door was opened too early during baking, or if the batter sat for too long before going into the oven (the bicarb starts working immediately).
Yes in fact, Sticky Toffee Pudding is often better made a day in advance. The sponge becomes moister and stickier as it sits. Just reheat it before serving.
James Martin’s recipe calls for a smooth purée, which gives an even texture. However, if you prefer chunks of fruit, you can roughly mash them instead of blending them completely.
Try More Recipes:
Sticky Toffee Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 square with sauce (serves 8)
- Calories: 680 kcal
- Total Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 22g
- Cholesterol: 130mg
- Sodium: 420mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 85g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Sugars: 65g
- Protein: 5g
James Martin Sticky Toffee
Course: Dessert, Breakfast, BrunchCuisine: British, AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings20
minutes45
minutes680
kcal😋James Martin’s ultimate Sticky Toffee Pudding: A light, moist sponge made with dates, treacle, and golden syrup, served with a rich, bubbling toffee cream sauce.
Ingredients
- For the Pudding:
200g pitted dried dates
300ml water
1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
75g soft butter (25g for greasing, 50g for the batter)
175g dark brown demerara sugar
200g self-raising flour (plus extra for dusting)
1 tbsp golden syrup
2 free-range eggs
2 tbsp black treacle
1 tsp vanilla extract
- Sauce:
100g butter
100g sugar
200ml double cream
Directions
- Prep the tin: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Thoroughly grease a 23cm (9-inch) square cake tin with 25g of the butter and dust it with a little flour.
- Cream the butter: In a food mixer or using a hand beater, blend the remaining 50g of butter with the dark brown sugar. Beat until the mixture is well combined.
- Add wet ingredients: Slowly add the golden syrup, black treacle, eggs, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture while beating.
- Fold in flour: Turn the mixer to a slow speed (or use a spoon) and gently fold in the self-raising flour until just combined. Turn off the mixer.
- Prepare the dates: Place the dates and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Pour the mixture into a blender and purée until smooth. Add the bicarbonate of soda.
- Combine and bake: While the date purée is still hot, quickly pour it into the egg and flour batter. Mix until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is firm to the touch.
- Make the sauce: While the pudding bakes, place the butter, sugar, and double cream in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens and turns golden.
- Serve: Allow the pudding to cool slightly, then cut it into squares. Serve warm with plenty of hot toffee sauce poured over the top.
Notes
- The Bicarb Reaction: Adding bicarbonate of soda to the boiling date mixture causes a fizzing reaction. This aerates the purée and ensures the sponge is light and fluffy rather than heavy and dense.
Use Hot Dates: It is crucial to add the date purée to the batter while it is steaming hot. The heat helps activate the baking agents immediately.
Don’t Skip Treacle: Black treacle gives this pudding its signature dark color and a slightly bitter, caramelized depth that balances the sweetness.
Make It Ahead: Sticky toffee pudding is one of the few desserts that improves with time. If you make the sponge a day in advance, it becomes stickier and moister.
