What do you get when you combine sticky toffee pudding with gingerbread and add cream cheese icing? The ultimate festive cake!
If you’re looking for a cozy festive dessert, look no further than this sticky toffee pudding gingerbread cake. This cake is moist, rich and full of warm spices, topped with a creamy cheese icing and a decadent caramel sauce.
I served this cake on Christmas day to my family, and I am not exaggerating when I say everyone went in for seconds. This has NEVER happened in my family before. I am going to take this as a sign that this cake is a real crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients Notes for Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake:
- DATES: You can use any type of dried dates for this recipe, but I recommend using Medjool dates for their softness and sweetness.
- TREACLE: This is a dark, thick syrup that adds a rich, caramel flavour to the cake and the sauce. If you can’t find it, substitute it with molasses or dark corn syrup.
- GROUND ALMONDS: Also known as almond meal or almond flour, this adds a nutty flavour and a moist texture to the cake. You can sub for 50g more all-purpose flour but I’d recommend the ground almonds if you can get them!
- DOUBLE CREAM: This is a type of heavy cream that has a high-fat content (around 48%). It makes the caramel sauce thick and creamy. You can use regular heavy cream instead, but you may need to cook it longer to thicken it.
Equipment:
You’ll also need a 20cm cake tin, a large heatproof bowl, a blender, a large bowl, an electric mixer, a spatula, a skewer, a large pot, a cooling rack and a serving plate.
Storage Instructions:
- You can store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it (without icing) for up to 3 months, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil.
- You can store the caramel sauce in a jar or a container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can reheat it in a microwave or a saucepan over low heat before serving.
Sticky Toffee Pudding Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 200g dried dates
- 300ml boiling water
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 100g butter, softened
- 100g brown sugar
- 30g treacle
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp ginger powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 50g ground almonds
- 150g all-purpose flour
Caramel:
- 75g butter
- 140g brown sugar
- 10g treacle
- 100ml double cream
- 1/4 tsp salt
Icing:
- 125g cream cheese, softened
- 35g icing sugar
- 50ml double cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
CAKE:
- Preheat the oven to 338°F (170°C). Grease a 20cm cake tin.
- Roughly chop the dates. Place in a large heatproof bowl and cover with 200ml of boiling water. Stir in the baking soda and cover the bowl for 15 minutes. Once cool, blend until smooth.
- In a large bowl, beat together softened butter, brown sugar and treacle until smooth. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition. Gently fold in the salt, spices, baking powder, ground almonds and flour until just combined. Finally, fold through the date puree.
- Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in tin before turning onto a cooling rack.
CARAMEL:
- While the cake is cooling, make the caramel. In a large pot over low heat, melt the butter, brown sugar and treacle. Once the butter is melted, stir everything together. Now stir in the salt and cream, turn up to high heat, and once bubbling, take off the heat. Allow to cool.
- Use a skewer to poke holes all over the cooled cake. Pour approx. 1/2 caramel sauce over the cake so that is absorbed into the holes.
ICING:
- Beat together softened cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth. Add in cream and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Use a spatula to cake with cream cheese icing. Drizzle with additional caramel sauce and decorate with crushed pecans and gingerbread. Serve with remaining warmed caramel sauce, if you like.
Notes
STORAGE:
Refrigerate the cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
