Vegan sticky toffee pudding
This vegan sticky toffee pudding is the epitome of a winter-warming dessert. I like to add a generous pinch of salt to my butterscotch sauce to temper the sweetness and give it a totally moreish (rather than sickly sweet) flavour. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped oat cream or vegan vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 250g/9oz dried dates
- 350g/12oz boiling water
- 8²µ/â…“o³ú bicarbonate of soda
- 20g/1oz extra virgin olive oil
- 100g/3½oz dark brown or muscovado sugar
- 200g/7oz plain flour (gluten-free plain flour will also work)
- 13²µ/½´Ç³ú baking powder
- 3g/â…›oz fine salt
For the sauce
- 400g/14oz soy or oat milk
- 5²µ/â…›o³ú sea salt
- 20g/1oz cornflour
- 100g/3½oz dark brown or muscovado sugar
- 20g/1oz deodorised or odourless coconut oil (see Recipe Tip)
Method
To make the date cake, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and line the base of a 20×30cm/8×12in rectangular baking tin with baking parchment.
Add the dates to a heatproof bowl or glass measuring jug, add 350ml/12fl oz boiling water and stir in the bicarbonate of soda. Leave to stand for 10 minutes. When this mixture has cooled, transfer to a blender or food processor and add the olive oil. Blend to a smooth purée. has context menu
Add the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Add the date purée to the dry ingredients and whisk until the mixture is smooth and clear with no dry lumps.
Pour the batter into the lined tin and smooth the top.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cake springs back when gently pressed with your fingertips, or a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Set aside in the tin.
To make the salted butterscotch sauce, mix the milk, sea salt, cornflour and sugar together in a large high-sided, heavy-based saucepan, then bring to a rolling boil while whisking constantly.
Add the coconut oil and whisk until melted and well-mixed through.
To assemble and serve, pour the butterscotch sauce over the date cake still in the tin and leave to soak in a little. Slice and serve warm from the baking tin.
Recipe Tips
Deodorised coconut oil is coconut oil without the obvious coconut flavour (it's sometimes sold as odourless coconut oil). This is essential for a more traditional sticky toffee sauce. Normal coconut oil still works, but it adds a coconut flavour.
This dish keeps well if covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months.
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3½ and reheat for 8 minutes, or until steaming. Or reheat gently in the microwave.