Spiced Rum Sticky Toffee Pudding

Sticky toffee pudding was always a household favourite – it’s the first dessert I made successfully. I actually tested it for years, trying to get the perfect light fluffy sponge with sweet creamy caramel sauce that tastes like melted Werthers originals, but was also not too sweet. There was a moment where I had to put in a ban because my mum was requesting it so much! The light fluffy sponge here has been infused with the flavours of black Jamaican rum cake. I don’t often call for alcohol in my desserts, and this may be the only one I’ve had where the rum really complements the warmth of the spices and dark sugars.

SERVES: 6-8
TOTAL TIME: 1hr 15min

INGREDIENTS

• EQUIPMENT: a 900g loaf tin
• 250g whole medjool dates (approx. 16–18 dates, weighed with seeds)
• 3 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 100ml dark rum, plus more for serving or water
• 85g butter, softened
• 200g dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp black treacle (molasses) or honey or golden syrup
• 100ml milk
• 175g plain flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder

For the toffee sauce:

• 100g butter, cut into pieces
• 200g dark brown sugar
• 300ml double cream
• ½ tsp salt

To serve:

• vanilla ice cream
• cream of custard
• 50g butter, to reheat (optional)

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin.

2. Remove the stones from the dates, roughly chop, and put into a pan with 150ml of water and 1 teaspoon of bicarb, cinnamon and ginger. Cook for 10 minutes, pushing the dates down to form a thick paste. Remove from the heat and mix in the rum.

3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, date paste, molasses, milk and mix well. Add in the plain flour, 2 teaspoons of bicarb, salt and the baking powder and mix until just combined.

4. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.

5. Meanwhile, make the toffee sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the brown sugar. Cook for 10 minutes, until bubbling rapidly, then add the double cream. Cook for another 2 minutes and add the 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt.

6. To serve, you can slice the cake and serve it hot with a scoop of ice cream, or cream, and lots of toffee sauce.

7. If the cake has been fully cooled, toast the slices with some butter in a pan on both sides, then top with ice cream and toffee sauce.

8. For some drama, pour 2 tablespoons of rum over the top of the cake and flambé with a blowtorch.
   
   

NOTE → I’ve made this in a loaf tin because I like how easy it is to serve for a big crowd, but you could make it in a 25cm cake tin and check it in the oven after 35 minutes.