Description
Ina Garten’s sticky toffee cake delivers rich, complex flavors from classic British dessert traditions. Warm caramel notes and deep date sweetness invite home cooks to savor each delectable slice with pure culinary pleasure.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large eggs
- 6 oz (170 g) dates, pitted and finely chopped (about 8–10 medjool dates)
- 1 ¼ cups (178 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (159 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (159 g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- Pinch of coarse, kosher salt
- ¾ cup boiling water
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 6 tbsps (85 g) butter, softened
- ½ cup (113 g) butter
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- Additional heavy whipping cream for drizzling (optional)
- ¼ to ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Warm oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease ramekins or a square baking pan with cooking spray or butter.
- Date Infusion: Combine chopped dates, boiling water, baking soda, and vanilla extract. Let steep for 15 minutes to soften and meld flavors.
- Creaming Process: Whip butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer until light, fluffy, and pale, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Egg Integration: Blend eggs into the butter-sugar mixture until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Dry Ingredient Blend: Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together to ensure even distribution.
- Batter Construction: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, being careful not to overmix. Fold in softened date mixture until evenly distributed.
- Baking Stage: Fill ramekins two-thirds full or spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake 18-25 minutes, depending on container. Check doneness with a toothpick that comes out clean and cake surface springs back when touched.
- Caramel Sauce Preparation: In a saucepan, combine sugar, butter, cream, and salt. Simmer over low heat, stirring continuously for 5-7 minutes until smooth and glossy.
- Serving: Cool cakes completely or serve slightly warm. Plate individual portions, drizzle with warm caramel sauce, and optionally garnish with chopped pecans and a light cream drizzle.
Notes
- Soften Dates Perfectly: Boiling water helps break down dates, creating a moist, tender cake texture with rich, concentrated sweetness.
- Avoid Overmixing Batter: Gentle folding prevents tough, dense cake by preserving air pockets and maintaining a delicate, tender crumb.
- Check Cake Doneness Carefully: Use the toothpick test and light touch method to ensure perfectly baked cake without overbaking or drying out.
- Create Silky Caramel Sauce: Low, slow heating and constant stirring prevents burning and guarantees a smooth, glossy caramel with deep, rich flavor.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 372
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg