Pumpkin Pie Sticky Toffee Pudding
If there’s one dessert you need to bake this fall, it’s this pumpkin sticky toffee pudding. Imagine a soft, spiced cake that’s gooey in the middle, soaked with buttery toffee sauce, and basically melts in your mouth with every bite. It’s cozy, indulgent, and guaranteed to steal the show at any fall dinner or holiday table.
Servings pieces
Ingredients
DATE CAKE BATTER
- 8 ounces Medjool dates, chopped
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
TOFFEE SAUCE
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
MAKE THE DATE CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8-inch square pan or similar baking dish with parchment paper.
- Place chopped dates in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring the milk to a boil, then immediately pour it over the dates. Stir in the baking soda (the mixture will bubble up) and let it sit to soften while you prepare the rest.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and light brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Add the pumpkin purée and the date mixture to the bowl and mix until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined — do not overmix.
- Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
MAKE THE TOFFEE SAUCE
- While the pudding bakes, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir in the dark brown sugar, heavy cream, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, whisking constantly, until smooth and slightly thickened, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat.
SERVING
- Let the pudding cool for about 10 minutes. Optional: poke holes across the top with a skewer or fork. Pour some of the warm toffee sauce over the pudding to soak in.
- Slice into squares or spoon into bowls, topping each portion with extra toffee sauce.
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for the full experience.
Notes
Q: Can I make this pudding ahead of time?
A: Yes! Bake the pudding, let it cool, and keep it covered at room temperature for up to a day. When ready to serve, rewarm individual slices in the microwave or the whole dish in the oven, then pour warm toffee sauce on top. Q: Do I need to puree the date mixture until smooth?
A: Not at all! The dates soften in the hot milk and break down as the cake bakes, but it’s totally fine if there are small chunks throughout — they add great texture. Q: Can I use light brown sugar in the toffee sauce?
A: Yes! Dark brown sugar will give you a deeper, richer caramel flavor, while light brown sugar will make it a little lighter and sweeter. Both work beautifully. Q: Can I make this without pumpkin purée?
A: Definitely. If you’d like the classic version, increase the milk to 1 cup, remove the pumpkin purée and pumpkin spice, and follow the rest of the directions. There’s also a regular sticky toffee pudding recipe on the blog here (insert link). Q: How do I rewarm the toffee sauce?
A: Warm it gently on the stovetop over low heat, whisking until smooth. If it thickens too much, add a splash of cream to loosen it. Q: What should I serve this with?
A: Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream are the classics, but it’s also amazing with cinnamon ice cream or lightly sweetened crème fraîche for a tangy twist.
A: Yes! Bake the pudding, let it cool, and keep it covered at room temperature for up to a day. When ready to serve, rewarm individual slices in the microwave or the whole dish in the oven, then pour warm toffee sauce on top. Q: Do I need to puree the date mixture until smooth?
A: Not at all! The dates soften in the hot milk and break down as the cake bakes, but it’s totally fine if there are small chunks throughout — they add great texture. Q: Can I use light brown sugar in the toffee sauce?
A: Yes! Dark brown sugar will give you a deeper, richer caramel flavor, while light brown sugar will make it a little lighter and sweeter. Both work beautifully. Q: Can I make this without pumpkin purée?
A: Definitely. If you’d like the classic version, increase the milk to 1 cup, remove the pumpkin purée and pumpkin spice, and follow the rest of the directions. There’s also a regular sticky toffee pudding recipe on the blog here (insert link). Q: How do I rewarm the toffee sauce?
A: Warm it gently on the stovetop over low heat, whisking until smooth. If it thickens too much, add a splash of cream to loosen it. Q: What should I serve this with?
A: Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream are the classics, but it’s also amazing with cinnamon ice cream or lightly sweetened crème fraîche for a tangy twist.
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out. I love hearing from you!