Sticky Toffee Pudding

Recipes we refer to as "pudding"—like our banana pudding, vanilla pudding, or chocolate pudding— are more likely to be called “custard” in England. When Brits say pudding, they’re more likely to be referring to a sweet or savory dish that was traditionally steamed. Many of these classic recipes have been adapted through the years, and now can be found with instructions for baking as often as steaming. Nowadays, you’ll also hear pudding used in the UK to refer to dessert in general, though you’re still more likely to encounter a dish more akin to cake than anything else. Some examples include bread pudding (the BEST for using up stale brioche or challah) and figgy pudding (kind of like a well-spiced bundt cake).

One of the best versions? Sticky toffee pudding. Traditionally a date-studded sponge cake topped with a rich toffee sauce, it’s the perfect dessert for holiday meals or special occasions. Even if you’re not a date fan (and we get it, they’ve got a bad health food rap), trust us—they bring a lot of molasses-y sweetness to the cake and help keep it light and moist. It’s truly a dessert like any other, and is best served still slightly warm out of the pan with extra toffee sauce drizzled on top.

Want to make this dessert even more decadent? Serve it with fresh whipped cream or homemade vanilla ice cream—the cool dairy will help cut through the butterscotch sweetness of the cake in the best way. The toffee sauce can be made and refrigerated up to a week ahead of time, too, so there’s no excuse not to whip this out at your next celebration.

Have you made this yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below!