Sticky Date Pudding

This is a classic dessert that is also pretty easy to make. A sweet soft pudding covered in oozing rich caramel sauce makes this cake a definite crowd pleaser. This recipe is from the first Masterchef cookbook and is also available online with a simple google. It says to make individual puddings but I wanted to make one big cake and cut it in to squares for serving. 

If you like butterscotch and caramel and general scrumptiousness try out this recipe!

INGREDIENTS

Cake

170g dates, pitted and roughly chopped

310 ml (1 ¼ cups) water

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

165g (3/4 cup) firmly packed brown sugar

60g butter

2 eggs

150g (1 cup) self-raising flour

Caramel Sauce

50g butter

220g (1 cup) brown sugar

250ml (1 cup) cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and grease your chosen sized pan, either individual pudding moulds or a square/rectangle/circle/pineapple shaped tin.

2. Put dates and water into a saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat. Let it bubble for a few minutes so the dates start to fall apart. 

3. Remove from the heat and add bicarbonate of soda. Stir until dates continue to break down, then set aside to cool.

4. Place the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat (with an electric mixer preferably) until creamy.

5. Gradually add eggs one at a time and beat until light and fluffy.

6. Add cooled date mixture and stir to combine.

7. Fold through sifted flour and pour into prepared tin until about 2/3 full as the cake will rise slightly.

8. Put the tin with cake mixture in it into another baking tray and slowly pour boiling water into the tray until it comes up to about 1/3 of the side of the tin.

9. Bake in oven for 40 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Caramel Sauce

1. Combine butter, sugar, cream and vanilla in a small saucepan over low heat until the butter melts and sugar dissolves.

2. Bring sauce to the boil, reduce heat slightly and cook for 5-6 minutes or until sauce thickens. I cooked the sauce for about 10-12 minutes to make it a bit thicker.

To Serve

Invert the tin onto a plate and the pudding should fall out. Slice into portions and cover with caramel sauce. Don’t be shy with it, the more the merrier as they say!

I had heaps of caramel sauce left over which is also tasty with vanilla ice cream. Or with a spoon.