This pumpkin sticky toffee pudding is an incredible pumpkin spice twist on the classic British sticky date pudding. A soft pumpkin date cake slathered in buttery toffee sauce, this pudding is rich, moist, sticky, very moreish and easy to make too!
One of my most popular recipes is my vegan sticky toffee pudding; which if you have never had it before is a soft, deeply caramel flavoured date sponge cake generously smothered with luscious toffee sauce. It is a classic British pudding which has to be the ultimate in comforting, stick-to-your-ribs desserts!
This pumpkin sticky toffee pudding is adapted from that recipe (which I originally veganised from a Nigella recipe). I swapped out the milk and some of the dates for tinned pumpkin puree, and also added some to the toffee sauce. With a touch of pumpkin spice to complement the pumpkin, this cosy pudding is a fabulous autumnal dessert that is so easy to make, yet sure to impress everyone you serve it to!
Ingredient details:
Dates: chopped dates soaked in boiling water and then blended form the base of the pudding, adding sweetness and caramel flavour and keeping the texture moist and soft. There is no need to use fancy dates such as medjool, just regular dried dates work best.
Tinned pumpkin puree: You need to use pure pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling. It is available from many larger supermarkets in the UK, or online.
Treacle: dark, sticky treacle adds intense flavour. You can use molasses if you can't get hold of treacle, and if you prefer a lighter pudding you can use golden syrup instead.
Dark muscovado or dark brown soft sugar: muscovado sugar is best for it's deep toffee flavour though dark brown soft will work just as well. Light brown will work in a pinch but dark is best.
Oil: any neutral flavoured oil will do; I use olive.
Plain flour: just regular plain (all-purpose) flour is best here.
Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda: baking powder provides the rise and the bicarb is mixed with the dates while they soak which helps to soften them.
Pumpkin spice: In the UK this is readily available online and you can also make your own. Alternatively you can just add some cinnamon and ginger.
Cream: you will need some form of non-dairy cream for the toffee sauce, whether that be soy or coconut based. My absolute favourite however is my home-made cashew cream which works amazingly well and gives the sauce a wonderful rich flavour. Elmlea, Flora or Oatly double creams are all great options, or you can use coconut cream.
Butter: any vegan butter/margarine that you like the flavour of should work but block is better than spreadable. I favour Naturli Vegan Block.
Light brown soft sugar: unlike in the actual pudding, I like the flavour of light brown soft sugar in the toffee sauce best. If you only have dark brown sugar then I suggest omitting the treacle from the sauce to avoid it becoming too intensely flavoured (though if that is your kind of thing then by all means leave it in).
How To Make Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Pudding:
(Full measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page)
- Step 1: Place the chopped dates in a large jug or bowl and stir in the bicarbonate of soda and boiling water, leave to soak for 10 minutes.
- Step 2: Transfer the date mixture to a blender, along with the pumpkin puree, oil, sugar and treacle. Blend until smooth.
- Step 3: Pour the blended mixture into a large bowl and whisk in the baking powder, pumpkin spice and salt, followed by the flour.
- Step 4: Scrape the batter into a greased 20cm square tin and spread it level.
- Step 5: Bake for 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Step 6: While the cake is baking make the toffee sauce - heat the butter, sugar and treacle in a pan until melted. Add the cream, pumpkin puree, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Bring up to a simmer then remove from the heat.
- Step 7: Let the baked cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes then prick the surface all over with a toothpick and drizzle over about ½ of the toffee sauce.
- Step 8: Leave to cool for another 20 minutes before slicing it into squares and serving with ice cream or custard and the rest of the toffee sauce.
Top Tips:
As with all of my baking recipes I really do recommend using the metric measurements with a digital scale rather than the cup conversions. Cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system and you will get far better, more consistent results using a scale, not to mention that it is also easier and less messy than cups!
Tablespoon and teaspoon measurements are for proper measuring spoons, NOT regular kitchen spoons. A Tablespoon is 15ml and a teaspoon is 5ml and they should be level, not heaped.
The pudding should be served warm, not piping hot, so let it cool for 20 minutes or more before serving.
Serve the vegan pumpkin sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream or custard.
For a grown-up twist, add a couple of Tablespoons of dark rum or bourbon to the toffee sauce.
FAQ's:
Store any leftover pudding in a covered container and the sauce in a covered jug in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat in individual portions in the microwave until piping hot, around 30 seconds per piece.
You can make both the cake and pudding up to 3 days in advance but keep them separate. Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature and the toffee sauce in an airtight container in the fridge.
Warm the cake through in an oven heated to 170°C/fan 150°C/325°F/gas 3 for 20-25 minutes. Heat the toffee sauce in a pan.
If freezing in advance of serving do not add the sauce to the pudding, freeze the pudding in its dish, well wrapped in cling film, for up to 3 months. Defrost, then reheat as above. Freeze the sauce in an airtight container, defrost and reheat on the hob.
You can also freeze leftover pudding (with the sauce added) in individual portions in an airtight container. Allow to defrost in the fridge then reheat in the microwave to serve.
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Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Pudding (vegan)
Ingredients
Cake:
- 125 g (4 ½ oz) pitted dates chopped
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 180 g (¾ cup) boiling water
- 160 g (⅔ cup) pumpkin puree
- 73 g (80ml/⅓ cup) oil (I use olive)
- 75 g (6 Tablespoons) dark muscovado or soft brown sugar
- 50 g (2 Tablespoons) treacle or molasses
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 200 g (1 + ⅔ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
Toffee Sauce:
- 150 g (⅔ cup) vegan block butter
- 150 g (¾ cup) light brown soft sugar
- 30 g ( 1 ½ tablespoons) treacle or molasses
- 150 g (½ cup + 2 Tbsp) non-dairy cream (home-made cashew cream, soy cream, Elmlea plant double or coconut cream)
- 60 g (¼ cup) pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- good pinch of salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease an approx 20cm / 8in square baking dish or cake tin.
- Place the chopped dates and bicarbonate of soda in a large jug and stir in the boiling water. Set aside to soak for 10 minutes so that the dates are nice and soft.125 g (4 ½ oz) pitted dates, 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), 180 g (¾ cup) boiling water
- Pour the dates and their soaking liquid into a blender. Add the pumpkin puree, oil, sugar and treacle. Blend until smooth.160 g (⅔ cup) pumpkin puree, 73 g (80ml/⅓ cup) oil (I use olive), 75 g (6 Tablespoons) dark muscovado or soft brown sugar, 50 g (2 Tablespoons) treacle or molasses
- Scrape the blended mixture into a large bowl and whisk in the baking powder, pumpkin spice and salt, followed by the flour. Don’t over-beat the batter, just stir until no dry lumps remain.2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, ¼ teaspoon salt, 200 g (1 + ⅔ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- Scrape the batter into the greased tin and spread it level. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Make the sauce while the pudding is baking. Place the butter, light brown soft sugar and treacle in a saucepan over a low heat. Stir until it is melted and smooth.150 g (⅔ cup) vegan block butter, 150 g (¾ cup) light brown soft sugar, 30 g ( 1 ½ tablespoons) treacle or molasses
- Add the cream, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract, stir until smooth, bring up to a simmer then remove the pan from the heat. Add a pinch of salt to taste (carefully, it will be extremely hot!).150 g (½ cup + 2 Tbsp) non-dairy cream (home-made cashew cream, soy cream, Elmlea plant double or coconut cream), 60 g (¼ cup) pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, good pinch of salt to taste
- Allow the pudding to cool in the dish for 10 minutes then prick the surface all over with a toothpick and drizzle over about ½ of the toffee sauce, making sure that the top of the pudding is fully covered.
- Leave to cool for 20 minutes then slice into 9 slabs and serve with ice cream or custard and the rest of the sticky toffee sauce. (The sauce will thicken as it cools, simply reheat it in a pan or in the microwave for a few seconds until it becomes pourable again).
Notes
- See post above for tips, details, storage, freezing and make-ahead instructions and step-by-step photos.
- As with all of my baking recipes I really do recommend using the metric measurements with a digital scale rather than the cup conversions. Cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system and you will get far better, more consistent results using a scale, not to mention that it is also easier and less messy than cups!
- Tablespoon and teaspoon measurements are for proper measuring spoons, NOT regular kitchen spoons. A Tablespoon is 15ml and a teaspoon is 5ml and they should be level, not heaped.
If you tried this recipe let me know how it went! Rate it, leave a comment or tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess
Helleena
I would love to make it but rather large for 2people is it possible to freeze
Hannah
There are instructions for freezing it in the post above the recipe card. You could also try making a half batch in a 2lb loaf tin!
Denise Morris
There’s nothing better than a sticky toffee pudding served with custard. It’s one of the British favourite puddings. Absolutely delicious.
Denise Long
With all the pumpkins around currently, could I make my own pumpkin puree? If so, do I need to add anything to it?
Hannah
Hi Denise, yes you can use homemade puree and there is no need to add anything to it. I recommend roasting the pumpkin/butternut squash until it is tender; don't boil it as that would make the puree too wet.