Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake
For anyone not raised in the UK, you may not be familiar with the Cumbrian dessert- it's a date heavy sweet, sticky (as you might have guessed) sponge pudding with a caramel type sauce and is often served with a dollop of ice cream.
It was my husband's birthday this week, and he had 2 requests:
1- A loaf of sourdough bread
- this one is pretty easy- I make a loaf every few days.
2- A birthday cake
- definitely doable, but a challenge to make as close to whole food plant based as possible
When I asked what sort of cake he'd like me to make, he thought for a couple of minutes before smiling- 'Sticky Toffee Pudding'.
For anyone not raised in the UK, you may not be familiar with this Cumbrian dessert. It's a date-heavy sweet, sticky (as you might have guessed) sponge pudding with a caramel type sauce and is often served with a dollop of ice cream. Interestingly the origins of this sweet treat are hotly contested. If you're into British baking history, you can read up a little more here. I introduced my (American) husband to this dish on one of his first trips across the pond. He loved it so much it was offered as dessert at our wedding years later.
I've veganized this recipe, and reduced the amount of oil, although I haven't yet successfully tested how to eliminate the oil completely. There is no refined sugar, and this can be made gluten free by substituting the whole wheat flour with oat flour, teff flour, and/ or rice flour. As this cake is relatively dense (closer to what we'd call a pudding in the UK, not to be confused with American Pudding which is more like a custard), there's a fair bit of wiggle room with the flours that would work here.
Ingredients
For the topping:
Dates- lots of them! I used pitted medjool dates 10oz/ ~280g in total (8oz / 220g for the topping and 2oz/ 60g for the cake mixture, see below)
2 -3 prunes
1/2 cup water
2oz vegan butter/ coconut oil
For the cake mixture:
Dates- 2oz/ 60g (as mentioned above)
1/2 cup/ 60g raisins
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup/ 30g water (to soak the dates)
1 banana (the more ripe, the better!)
1/2 tsp powdered cinnamon
1/4 tsp powdered ginger
6oz/ 170g vegan butter / coconut oil (if using butter, leave it out of the fridge for a good 20-30 minutes before you start to make the cake, bringing it up to room temperature makes it much easier to work with)
6oz/ 170g sugar- I used 4oz date sugar and 2 oz turbinado sugar
6 tbsp ground flax seed/ flax seed meal
1 1/4 cups water (to mix with the flax to make egg substitute)
12 oz / 340g flour- I used whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp molasses (optional)
1/2 cup/ 60g milk- I used oat milk, but any type of milk would work in this recipe
Method
Before you start making the cake:
Add 8ox dates, the prunes, and 1/2 cup water to a bowl (make sure the pits are removed!). Cover and leave aside for at least 2 hrs. I left mine overnight in the fridge.
When you're ready to make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 360°F/ 180°C
Add the flax seeds and water (1/14 cups) to a bowl, mix and leave to one side.
Add the 2 oz dates remaining (make sure there are no pits!), the raisins, and the coconut to a separate bowl, add 1/4 cup water, the cinnamon, and ginger, and leave to one side.
Add the butter and banana to a stand mixer with a whisk attachment and mix on low for around 1 minute.
Add the sugar, and whisk again ensuring there are no large bits of butter or banana left, the mixture should be fluffy.
Add the flax and water mixture, the flour, and baking powder little by little with the mixer on low.
While the mixture comes together, mash the (2oz) dates that have been soaking in water with the coconut and raisins to ensure there are no huge pieces, and add to the cake mixture, continuing to stir on low.
Add the milk to loosen the mixture a little (I found it to be too thick without)
Pour into a greased and lined cake tin and bake at 360°F/ 180°C for around 40 minutes- checking on it regularly after 30 minutes to ensure it is not overbaked.
When the cake is done, the top should feel spongy, but not be wet, and when a toothpick is inserted into the top, it should come out clean.
While the cake is cooling, turn the soaked 8oz dates, prunes, and water into a blender, blend on low for around 30 seconds to 1 minute until smooth.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter on low heat, and add the blended date mixture. Stir until mixed thoroughly.
Use a toothpick to poke holes into the top of the cake, then spoon the date mixture on top, spreading it evenly so it can soak into the holes.
Add layer upon layer of the date mixture on the top of the cake until there is none left.
To store- keep the cake in a tin at room temperature for up to 4 days (if there's any left by that time!)
Savour with a coffee for a cheeky morning snack, or with an iced tea for an afternoon treat. Best enjoyed with a fork- this one's a bit sticky (I guess the clue is in the name!)