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PrintPumpkin Sticky Toffee Pudding
This pumpkin sticky toffee pudding is tender, moist, and full of pumpkin spice flavor, topped with a salty-sweet brown butter toffee sauce.
Incredible Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Pudding
Consider this your official permission slip to eat toffee sauce by the spoonful. This pumpkin sticky toffee pudding pairs a tender, buttery pumpkin spice cake with a salty-sweet brown butter toffee sauce that’s borderline inappropriate in the best possible way. It’s rich without being too heavy, packed with cozy fall flavor, and practically begging for a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Make it for Thanksgiving, make it for a dinner party, or make it on a random Tuesday because you deserve nice things.
The cake is SO moist. We’re using pumpkin puree and a homemade date paste to give this cake its signature tender, soft texture. Every bite practically melts in your mouth. Finish it off with a generous pour of brown butter toffee sauce and you might burst into song.
The best part? This is the kind of dessert that looks and tastes impressive without requiring you to spend all day in the kitchen. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving, fall dinner parties, or any occasion that calls for something extra special because you can prep it ahead, warm it up and serve it when you need it!
What is sticky toffee pudding?
Sticky toffee pudding is a classic British dessert made with a soft, moist date cake topped with a rich toffee sauce. It’s sweet, buttery, and wonderfully comforting, and it’s one of those desserts that feels like a warm hug in cake form.
The secret to traditional sticky toffee pudding is the dates. When softened and blended into a smooth paste, they add moisture and sweetness to the cake while creating that signature tender texture. The cake is then drenched in a buttery brown sugar toffee sauce that seeps into every bite.
For this pumpkin version, we’re taking everything you love about the original and giving it a fall-inspired makeover. Pumpkin puree and warm spices make the cake extra cozy, while a brown butter toffee sauce adds a nutty, caramelized flavor that takes the whole thing over the top.
Ingredients you’ll need to make this pumpkin sticky toffee pudding
You’ll need to make a few components to bring this sticky toffee pudding to life, but most of them are fall baking staples.
For the date paste
- Medjool dates: These are essential for that classic sticky toffee pudding texture. Make sure they’re pitted before chopping.
- Water: Boiling water softens the dates so they blend easily into a smooth paste.
- Baking soda: Helps soften the dates and is a traditional ingredient in sticky toffee pudding.
For the pumpkin cake
- Unsalted butter: You’ll want your butter at room temperature so it creams easily with the sugars.
- Light brown sugar and granulated sugar: Using both gives the cake a balance of rich, caramel-like sweetness and classic sweetness.
- Pumpkin puree: Make sure you’re using plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Eggs: Two large eggs help bind everything together. Room-temperature eggs are easiest to incorporate into the batter.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and enhances all those cozy fall flavors.
- All-purpose flour: Gives the cake its structure.
- Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves: This combination brings all the warm pumpkin spice flavor.
- Baking powder: Gives the cake its lift.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the other flavors.
- Milk: Adds moisture and helps bring the batter together.
For the brown butter toffee sauce
- Unsalted butter: Browning the butter adds a rich, nutty flavor that makes this sauce extra special.
- Heavy cream: Gives the sauce its silky, luxurious texture.
- Light brown sugar: Creates that signature sweet, caramel-like toffee flavor.
- Bourbon: Optional, but a splash adds a lovely warmth that pairs beautifully with the brown butter and pumpkin spices.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavor.
- Salt: The secret to a balanced toffee sauce that isn’t overwhelmingly sweet.
Tips for making the best pumpkin sticky toffee pudding
- Use plain pumpkin puree. Pumpkin pie filling already contains added sugar and spices, which can change the flavor of your cake. Make sure you grab a can of 100% pumpkin puree.
- Blend the date paste until smooth. You want the dates to be fully blended so they distribute evenly throughout the cake. A food processor or high-powered blender will give you the smoothest paste.
- Don’t panic if the batter looks split. Once you add the pumpkin and date paste, the mixture may look a little lumpy or separated. This is normal, so keep going with the recipe!
- Keep an eye on your brown butter. Brown butter is delicious, but it can go from perfectly golden to burnt quickly. Watch for those little brown flecks at the bottom of the pan and look for a warm, nutty aroma.
- Serve it warm. Sticky toffee pudding is at its best when the cake is warm and the sauce is still pourable. Add a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream and let it melt into all those little nooks and crannies.
Can you make pumpkin sticky toffee pudding ahead of time?
Yes! You can prepare the pumpkin cake ahead of time and store it covered at room temperature once it has cooled completely. You can also make the brown butter toffee sauce in advance and refrigerate it in an airtight container.
When you’re ready to serve, gently reheat the cake and warm the sauce separately until it’s pourable. Pour the sauce over the cake just before serving for that freshly made sticky toffee pudding experience.
How to store pumpkin sticky toffee pudding
At room temperature: If the cake hasn’t been topped with sauce, you can keep it covered at room temperature for up to 1 day.
In the refrigerator: Store leftover cake and sauce in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you’ve already poured the sauce over the cake, cover and refrigerate the leftovers.
To reheat: Warm individual slices in the microwave until heated through. Reheat the sauce separately, stirring until smooth, then drizzle it over the cake before serving.
Frequently asked questions
Baking soda helps soften the dates, making them easier to blend into a smooth paste. It’s also a traditional ingredient in sticky toffee pudding and helps create that signature tender cake.
Absolutely! The bourbon is completely optional. The sauce will still be rich, buttery, and delicious without it, so simply leave it out.
You can, but keep in mind that pumpkin pie spice blends vary. For the most consistent flavor, use the individual spices listed in the recipe.
Vanilla ice cream is my favorite! The contrast between the warm, spiced cake, rich toffee sauce, and cold, creamy ice cream is absolutely incredible. Freshly whipped cream is another delicious option if you want something a little lighter.
You can freeze the cooled cake, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw it before reheating and serving. For the best results, freeze the cake without the toffee sauce and make the sauce separately.
Happy fall baking and happy pumpkin sticky toffee pudding eating!
Enjoy!
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PrintPumpkin Sticky Toffee Pudding with Brown Butter Toffee Sauce
- Prep Time 45 minutes
- Cook Time 35 minutes
- Total Time 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Yield 16 servings
- Category Dessert
- Method Baking
- Cuisine American
Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Pudding with Brown Butter Toffee Sauce
This pumpkin sticky toffee pudding features a tender, warmly spiced pumpkin cake made with sticky sweet dates and topped with a rich, salty-sweet brown butter toffee sauce. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream for the ultimate fall dessert.
- Prep Time 45 minutes
- Cook Time 35 minutes
- Total Time 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Yield 16 servings
- Category Dessert
- Method Baking
- Cuisine American
Ingredients
For the date paste
- 1 cup (200g) Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
- 1 cup (240g) water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
For the pumpkin cake
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (104g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (106g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240g) pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/3 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
For the toffee sauce
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (120g) heavy cream
- 1 cup (206g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30g) bourbon, optional
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9 x 9-inch square pan with parchment paper on all sides. Set aside.
- First, make the date paste. In a medium bowl, add the dates and boiling water. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes (this helps the dates soften). Add the baking soda and stir to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to a food processor or high-powered blender and process the dates on high until they form a smooth paste, about 1 minute. Set aside.
- Next, make the pumpkin cake. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Use a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is pale and creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add the pumpkin and date paste to the stand mixer. Mix on low speed until combined. It may look split or lumpy, but this is okay!
- In a separate mixing bowl, add the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients, then all of the milk, then the remaining half of the dry ingredients. It’s okay if the batter still has a few lumps. You don’t want to overmix.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly to the edges. Bake until the cake has risen, the top springs back to the touch, and a butter knife inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 32 to 38 minutes. Place the pan on a cooling rack and allow to cool slightly in the pan, about 10 minutes.
- While the pumpkin cake bakes, make the sticky toffee sauce. In a small saucepan, add the butter and place over low heat. Use a silicone spatula to stir and scrape the butter from the bottom and sides of the pan every 10 to 15 seconds. At first, the butter will melt, then it will begin to foam and emit a warm, nutty aroma.
- Continue to cook the butter, occasionally stirring and scraping with your spatula, until the color begins to deepen and you see small brown flecks at the bottom of the pan (these are the milk solids in your butter separating and toasting), about 5 to 7 minutes. Once the butter is golden brown, remove it from the heat.
- Add the heavy cream, brown sugar, and bourbon and cook, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the sauce comes to a boil. Continue cooking at a steady boil for 1 minute, then remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the vanilla and salt and stir to combine. Set aside to cool until it’s just warm and slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Pour 1/3 of the of the warm sticky toffee sauce all over the warm pumpkin cake and use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to spread the sauce all over the cake. Slice out desired servings and plate. Top each pieces with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, drizzle generously with more sticky toffee sauce, and serve!
Notes
Make ahead instructions: If you are waiting to serve your sticky toffee pudding, make the cake and sauce as directed and store covered in the fridge until ready to serve. When ready to serve, heat the cake up for 15 minutes in a 350°F and warm the brown butter toffee sauce up in the microwave or on the stove. Pour 1/3 of the of the warm sticky toffee sauce all over the warm pumpkin cake and use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to spread the sauce all over the cake. Slice out desired servings and plate. Top each pieces with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, drizzle generously with more sticky toffee sauce, and serve!
- Prep Time 45 minutes
- Cook Time 35 minutes
- Total Time 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Yield 16 servings
- Category Dessert
- Method Baking
- Cuisine American
More fall desserts you’ll love
If you’re in your fall baking era, here are a few more cozy desserts to add to your list:
- Apple Cider Donut Snickerdoodles
- Pumpkin Spice Cake
- Apple Crisp Ice Cream
- Apple Cider Donuts
- Because one fall dessert is never enough!
- Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe
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