Somehow I went from eating raw cabbage to baking one of the richest desserts known to man.

That’s just how the cookie crumbles sometimes, isn’t it?
However, I should get bonus points for making this classic dessert vegan and almost half the sugar and fat, don’t you think?
Have you ever tried a sticky toffee pudding? Being the sweet tooth that I am, I always loved sticky toffee pudding. You want me to eat a date and sugar filled cake and them dump more sticky toffee sauce on top? AND serve it with ice cream? *dies* There isn’t any pudding actually in this cake, but it’s the method that creates a pudding-like texture.
I figured I could make a vegan version lower in fat and sugar, while still enjoying one of my favourite desserts. So, I set out on a mission to create my first vegan sticky pudding. My goal was simple: Make this toffee pudding taste as good as the original, while slashing the sugar and fat. I also added a whole grain flour to give it a bit of a boost. Traditional British versions vary quite a bit (some steep in tea bags or serve with custard, for example), but I just kept mine basic for the first attempt. I also added in toasted pecans, which isn’t common, but I loved the nutty crunch it added.
And to my surprise, it actually worked! I really cannot imagine this dish being any sweeter than it was.

We have a few holiday gatherings coming up this weekend and next and I’m trying to figure out what I’m making for potlucks and what food gifts I’m going to give. I have a huge list of healthy dinners and desserts I want to make before the year is out and all these crazy recipe ideas popping into my head! So…expect to see a mix of holiday desserts and The 12 Days of Healthy Dinner Recipes over the next while. I’m also in the process of meeting with cookbook publishers over the next couple weeks (which I didn’t expect to happen so soon!). It’s a crazy, but exciting month. I really just want it to slow down so I can do everything I want to do.
Anyways, this was my first time making sticky toffee pudding and I was happy to see how easy it is to make. For such an elegant looking dessert, it’s really fool proof. (Don’t be put off by my long directions….I just made them very detailed so there would be no second guessing.)
We’re having friends over for dinner on Sunday and I will be making this dessert for sure…it’s absolutely amazing straight from the oven, served with warm toffee sauce, with a scoop of vegan ice cream and toasted pecans! This is one of those desserts that are great served on a cold night, cozied up with loved ones watching your favourite holiday show on TV.
Or reality TV shows if you are like us. I don’t know what’s more mind-numbing….watching Kris Humphries or Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer for the 765 time.


Sinless Sticky Toffee Pecan Pudding

Yield
6-8 servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
This sticky pudding cake has the perfect amount of sweetness, remaining true to the original classic dessert, without going overboard. The cake is fantastic; once the sauce is poured on, it turns into a gooey, moist, and dense cake. The toasted pecans add a lovely texture to this dish and I don’t recommend skipping them unless necessary. Whatever you do…serve this dish WARM! Inspired by Taste.com.au and Historical Foods.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 200 grams pitted dates (about 1.5 cups), roughly chopped
- 1.5 cups almond milk
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup Earth Balance (or other vegan butter substitute), lightly softened
- 1/2 cup unpacked brown sugar (75 grams) OR 1/2 cup Sucanat
- 3/4 cup toasted chopped pecans, divided
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 + 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all purpose)
For the toffee sauce
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp brown rice syrup*
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp unpacked brown sugar (35 grams) OR Sucanat
- 3 tbsp Earth Balance
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp almond milk
- salt, to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and toast the pecans for about 8-10 mins. Now, preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch pie dish or an 8-inch square pan with Earth Balance.
- In a medium sized pot, bring 1.5 cups of almond milk to a low boil. Add in the chopped and pitted dates and reduce heat to low. Cook for 1 minute, remove from heat, and stir in baking soda. It will froth up a bit.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the softened Earth Balance and brown sugar until no clumps remain. You can also use an electric mixer if desired. Now add in the date & almond milk mixture and stir.
- Add the dry ingredients (cinnamon, salt, 1/2 cup of pecans, and whole wheat pastry flour) into the wet and stir until just combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish.
- Bake at 375°F for 27-28 minutes, or until the cake gently springs back when you touch it.
- Toffee sauce: About 10 mins before the cake is done, make your toffee sauce by whisking together the sauce ingredients in a pot (use the same one). Bring to a low simmer over medium heat, and then reduce heat to low, whisking frequently making sure it doesn’t burn. Heat for about 5 minutes while standing over the pot to stir & watch. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Remove cake from oven, let it cool for a few minutes, and then prick with a fork or toothpick all over. I made about 100 holes. Pour 2/3 of the toffee sauce over the top of the cake (reserving the other 1/3 of the sauce for later) and smooth out with a spoon.
- Scoop out your portions onto plates, drizzle with remaining sauce, and top with toasted pecans. Serve with a side of your favourite vegan ice cream (I love coconut bliss).
Tip:
Other liquid sweeteners may work instead of brown rice syrup (you can use honey if you eat it), however the taste and consistency will change slightly. Maple syrup would also work, although it won’t get quite as thick.
After I made this cake, I realized that some recipes actually mix everything straight into the pot on the stove! I think I will certainly try that next time to save cleaning another bowl.
The batter for the sticky toffee cake is quite thick and dense, but far from being dry.

Spoon batter into your prepared dish. I used a pie dish because they photograph better than the 8-inch square pans, but feel free to use whichever you prefer. Single serving ramekins might be fun too! Although, you’d probably have to reduce the cooking time slightly for single servings.

After baking about 28-30 minutes…it’s golden and slowly springs back after being touched.

Grab a fork or toothpick and make about 100 holes all over the top of the cake. Get out all your holiday frustrations! This allows the sauce to sink into the cake and make it all gooey and wonderful!

Pour on 2/3 of your toffee sauce, leaving the rest for later.


The sauce will soak into all those holes and create a gooey and dense, “pudding-like” cake.

Check that out!

Now portion out your servings onto plates or bowls and drizzle on more toffee sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining toasted pecans and serve with a scoop of vegan ice cream.

Prepare yourself for a dessert you won’t soon forget.

You will, however, forget all about the sugar, cream, and butter that I cut out.

Trust me on this one.
I made this dessert yesterday and it is absolutely fabulous! I cut the ingredients in half and poured the cake into 3 small Corningware ramekin dishes…baked the stuff for 25 minutes. The only change I made was that I blended the almond milk and medjool dates in my Vitamix briefly before heating it on the stove…this mixed the dates well with the milk.
I was able to find the brown rice syrup and I’m so happy that I did…the toffee topping was the perfect texture and flavor.
Thanks so much for a recipe that I will be using again for Christmas dinner…YUM!!
Made this last night for my own belated birthday party. Followed the recipe exactly and it was DELISH. I would double the sauce! And I made the sauce very slightly salty, which I think amped it up a bit. SOOOOOOOOO good. Making it again for Christmas, and for every excuse I can find to bake!
Is there a way to prepare this in advance, like baking the day or at least several hours before and then reheating? I always want to socialize rather than spending my time in the kitchen when we have a houseful of guests.
I am also wondering the same.
I am also wondering how maple syrup would substitute for brown rice syrup.
I made this for Christmas Eve this year (with a few alterations); it was easy and came out so well! Would recommend–although I really can’t convince myself of the “sinless” part…
You’re my favorite person ever! I made this last night, followed recipe exactly, super easy & quick & a miracle in my mouth. I ate 1/2 by myself and only stopped because I was painfully full. Just ate more today and I could just cry tears of joy, it was so dang good. Keep it up & thank you again!
Can yo make this sticky pudding with gluten free flour? It sounds so good!
Words cannot express how amazing this recipe. My dad thinks vegan is a dirty word, but he LOVES this! Thanks for this and your website!
This pudding is AWESOME! I just made it but sadly the flour left lumps in it so I’d highly recommend sifting your flour because there were tiny lumps that didn’t bake out. I used to eat sticky date pudding and I remember eating it until I felt sick, that’s how much I liked it! Is sticky date pudding known as sticky toffee pudding in Canada or have you just called it that for your recipe? I think I could leave out some of the sugar in the recipe, just because dates are sooo sweet alone!
Just made this tonight and it was loved by a diverse group of picky eaters! Everyone had seconds and some had a 3rd serving. I used fresh Barhi dates from The Date People (mail order). Took me longer than the 20-min noted by Shannon, but I made it in a kitchen that wasn’t mine so that added time. Wouldn’t call it “sinless,” but it was very sweet. I will further reduce the sugar next time. Only complaint was that I had to comb the comments for ones from folks who had actually made the dish…it’s nice to hear that people think it looks good, but I like to hear reviews and tips from others.
So delicious! And easy! To make ahead next time I will make half or 3/4 of the toffee sauce and pour on slighly cooled pudding and then just before serving make a smaller batch to top the single servings. My whole family loved this!
My family and I went to England a couple weeks ago and had sticky toffee pudding there. We loved it so I came home and made your recipe. My daughter and I thought this was even better than the one we ate in England and of course yours is vegan! Thank you!!!
I found this recipe as a possible recipe for our upcoming Christmas dinner dessert. I am excited to make it. My daughter requires a gluten-free option. Do you suppose that a gluten-free flour would work in this recipe?
Thanks!
Hi Michelle, I haven’t tried it with another flour so I can’t say for sure, but I think it should work if using a good tasting one that you enjoy :) Let me know if you try anything!
I made this earlier this summer. It was fantastic and a huge hit with my family!
I have a habit of making your recipes for my family, but I leave out the fact that they are vegan until everyone has already taken a bite and fallen in love. This last christmas I made this for my family, and everyone was so surprised it was vegan. They loved it! I love changing the stereotypes of veganism, and you make it so easy.
For people wondering about gluten free flour, oat flour (just gf-oats pulsed in the dry container of a vitamix or in a food processor) has worked for me. In fact, I prefer the texture to the normal flour version.
I start by making my own almond milk (1/3 cup of almonds + 1.5 cups water) in the vitamix. I throw in the pitted whole dates and pulse a few times until they are chopped (if you don’t love the taste or texture of dates, you can blend for even longer until the dates are practically liquidized). Add the baking soda straight to that, no boiling necessary.
Because of the sweetness of the dates and sauce, I have made this with as little as 1 tbs of sugar in the batter and found it to be more than sweet. I don’t add sugar to the sauce, since I use maple syrup, which is plenty sweet. I serve with a dollop of chilled, unsweetened coconut cream.
Hi Angela, I am not very experienced in cooking with dates, what type of dates should I use in this recipe? I know you hear this all of the time but your blog is amazing! I cook from it or your cookbook at least a couple times each week and everything has been great! Thanks for taking the time to share.
Thank you Tobi! I always use Medjool dates in my recipes, but I think regular “honey” dates would probably work too?
Why do you add baking soda to the hot liquid? Seems like you want it to do part if it’s leavening reaction before it mixes into the cake..is there a reason for that? Would it be too much leavening if you added it to the dry?
I’m not exactly sure why, but that is how it is often prepared (at least from the recipe I was inspired by from taste.com.au – see link in my recipe). Enjoy! :)
I have made this twice and it’s pretty much amazing. Loved every bite of it!
I’ve made this a few times. Sooo good. Last night I replaced the Earth Balance in the pudding and the sauce with coconut oil. It was even better. Love this recipe.