Sticky Date Pudding
Sticky date pudding is something I adored growing up, however never homemade. The kind of dessert that always felt tied to colder days; something warm from the kitchen, savoured slowly, paired with a vanilla ice-cream or creamy custard.
This version is perfect for evenings at home, shared between you and your loved one, curled up under a blanket in front of the fire. Soft, rich, and deeply comforting.
Dates form the base, bringing natural sweetness alongside fibre and minerals like potassium. When softened properly, they melt into the batter, creating that deep, caramel-like body without needing excessive sweetener.
Spelt flour works here for its gentler gluten structure, allowing the pudding to hold without turning heavy. Used whole, it contributes more than texture; B vitamins, magnesium, and a slower release of carbohydrates that supports steadier blood glucose after eating.
Butter carries the gorgeous rich flavour and supports the overall mouthfeel, giving that soft, almost molten interior when served warm. It also helps the pudding hold its moisture as it cools.
The function of the bicarbonate of soda in the date mixture is to lighten the batter from within, creating a pudding that stays tender rather than dense.
This is a simple recipe, but one that is always loved in our home; warm, soft, and deeply nourishing.
Ingredients
For the pudding
60g medjool dates, chopped
80 ml hot water
¼ tsp baking soda
25g grass fed butter, softened
20g coconut sugar
1 small egg
½ tsp vanilla extract
60g spelt flour
¼ tsp baking powder
For the sauce
40g grass fed butter
40g coconut sugar
40 ml pure cream
Method
Place chopped dates in a bowl, pour over hot water, and stir in baking soda. Let it sit for 10 minutes to soften and break down.
Mash the date mixture lightly.
In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg and vanilla, mixing well.
Fold in the date mixture.
Stir in flour and baking powder until just combined.
Grease a small dish and pour in the batter.
Bake at 170°c for 20–25 minutes, until set in the centre but still tender.
While it bakes, gently heat butter, sugar, and cream in a small saucepan until melted and slightly thickened.
When the pudding comes out the oven, poke a few holes with a fork in the top and pour a little sauce over the top. Let it soak for a few minutes, then serve warm with the remaining sauce.
