Syrup-soaked cakes are my jam. Tres leches in Mexico, baba au rhum and savarins in France, revani, a soaked semolina cake popular in Greece and the Middle East, and, most of all, sticky toffee pudding in the United Kingdom.

Don’t confuse this pudding with that popular cake; in the U.K., desserts are commonly called puddings. This amazingly simple dessert, rich in caramelized-sugar syrup, proves ideal for a family dinner or the sweet finale to a holiday meal.

Truth be told, we’d eat it anytime, and I'll confess it makes a fine breakfast — skip the extra syrup and add sliced bananas and a dollop of plain yogurt.

Pureed dates form the flavor base of the creamed cake layer. Soak the dates in tea until soft, preferably aromatic Earl Grey. The soaked dates need a strong blender or food processor to render them smooth. In my experience, an immersion blender and mini food processor lack the power to do the work. A high-speed blender works well, as does a full-sized food processor.

Alternatively, substitute softer dried plums, aka prunes, for the dates. The finished cake will be a tad less sweet and slightly moister. Seriously acceptable attributes when soft dates or a powerful blender are not available options.

I like to use a generous amount of pure vanilla extract in the cake, but bourbon adds its distinctive characteristics. A sprinkling of coarse salt over the cake batter before baking adds a pop of flavor.

For the toffee syrup, use dark brown sugar for the deepest flavor. Ditto for the agave syrup — select the dark option. Pure cane syrup, such as Steen’s, makes a delicious syrup; order it online.

Make the syrup while the cake bakes, then pour the warm syrup over the baked cake and return it to the oven for five minutes to help it set. You can reheat leftover syrup in a microwave. Pour some over each serving of cake.

In the U.K. restaurants and pubs we visited in September, most offered to serve the pudding with custard or ice cream. We like both options, but we find vanilla ice cream cuts the sweetness perfectly.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Makes 8 servings

Note: You can substitute 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice for the spices listed in the cake. You can also bake the cake in a 9-inch round pan that is two inches deep.

For the cake:

2 Earl Grey or black tea bags

1 package (8 ounces) dried pitted dates or prunes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon each: table salt, ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon each: ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground allspice

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or 1 tablespoon bourbon

Coarse (kosher) salt, for sprinkling

For the toffee syrup:

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/3 cup dark agave or real cane syrup (or 1/4 cup light corn syrup and 2 tablespoons molasses)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or 1 tablespoon bourbon

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

1. Put 1 cup water in a deep, medium-size microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high (100% power) until very hot, about 2 minutes. Add tea bags and let steep 5 minutes. Discard tea bags.

2. Add dates (or prunes) to tea. Place a bowl on top to keep dates submerged in the tea. Let soak until soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer dates and liquid to a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until nearly smooth. You’ll have about 2 cups. (Puree can be made up to several days in advance; use at room temperature.)

3. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and spices in small bowl. Whisk until combined.

4. Heat oven to 350 F. Spray an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray or brush lightly with vegetable oil.

5. Beat 1/2 cup butter in large bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle until light and fluffy. Beat in 3/4 cup brown sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Beat in vanilla. Beat in date puree until smooth

6. Add flour mixture and mix on low speed just until flour is incorporated. Use a silicon spatula to scrape mixture into prepared pan. Smooth top. Tap pan on counter a couple of times to remove any air bubbles. Sprinkle lightly with coarse salt.

7. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.

8. While cake bakes, make toffee syrup: Put brown sugar, syrup, butter, salt and 1/4 cup water into a small deep saucepan. Heat to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan and let simmer for 2 minutes. Uncover the pan. Add cream and continue to simmer on low, stirring often, until sauce is thick and syrupy, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.

9. When cake tests down, pierce it in several places with the tines of a fork. Slowly pour about 1/2 of the toffee syrup over the cake allowing it to seep in. Return cake to oven and bake until syrup bubbles at edges of pan, about 5 minutes.

10. Let cake cool on wire rack. Serve warm topped with remaining warm syrup and the vanilla ice cream.

(JeanMarie Brownson is a James Beard Award-winning author and the recipient of the IACP Cookbook Award for her latest cookbook, “Dinner at Home.” JeanMarie, a chef and authority on home cooking, Mexican cooking and specialty food, is one of the founding partners of Frontera Foods. She co-authored three cookbooks with chef Rick Bayless, including “Mexico: One Plate at a Time.” JeanMarie has enjoyed developing recipes and writing about food, travel and dining for more than four decades.)

©2026 JeanMarie Brownson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.