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Healthier Sticky Date Pudding: gluten-free

Last updated on 
Healthier Sticky Date Pudding: gluten-free

This recipe is for a slightly healthier sticky date pudding and I made this gluten-free. This cake has a lower sugar content, less butter and not as much cream in the toffee sauce. Originally inspired by a recipe I saw online  https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/healthier-sticky-toffee-pudding/ but then tweaked it to suit what I had in my cupboard and made it with gluten-free flour as I was baking for a friend who can't eat wheat. Sticky date pudding is a perfect dessert to make and share with friends and family.

Takes = prep 10 minutes + 20 minutes soaking of dates
Bakes = 30-35 minutes
Makes = 20cm dish, 6 serves

Ingredients

  • Dates, no seeds and chopped – 80g (heaped 1/2 cup)
  • Boiling water – 80ml (1/2 cup)
  • Vanilla extract – 1 teaspoon
  • Unsalted butter, soft (or vegan butter) – 60g
  • Gluten-free flour or your choice (my tweak) – 100g (3/4 cup + 2 tbsp)
  • Baking powder – 3/4 tsp
  • Baking soda (bi-carb) – 1/2 ts
  • Ground cinnamon (my tweak) – 1 tsp
  • Ground ginger (my tweak) – 1 tsp
  • Maple syrup or date syrup – 100g (6.5 tbs)
  • Dark syrup or black treacle – 1-3 teaspoons (I only added 1 ts in my video)
  • 2 large eggs beaten* or flax eggs for vegan

Sauce

*I tripled the quantity from the original recipe

  • Unsalted butter (plant-based if preferred) – 30g (2 large tbs)
  • Maple syrup or similar – 1 tablespoon
  • Dark syrup or black treacle – 1 tb
  • Runny cream (plant-based if preferred) – 2-4 tablespoons

Method

  1. Remove the date seeds and chop then pour over the boiling water and soak for 20 minutes. Once soft, mash with a fork (depending on the type you may still have very large pieces that's ok) and add in vanilla stir and set to one side.
  2. Preheat oven to 170˚C/150˚C fan, then lightly grease a 20cm or 1-litre oven-proof dish.
  3. Whisk flour, spices and baking agents together. Then beat butter, eggs, and syrups and add in flour. Beat until smooth for a few minutes using an electric mixer or hand beaters. Add in dates including water. The batter will look runny that's okay.
  4. Pour into the greased baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is firm and bouncy. Depending on the syrups used the cake may look a little lighter.
  5. Sauce – in a small saucepan add butter and syrups and gently heat. Once the butter is melted remove it from the heat and add in the cream. Whisk until smooth. If you would like to serve it, later on, reheat the sauce before serving. Or serve straight away pouring over a slice of pudding. We love this served with vanilla ice cream.

Sue Maree P Baking Tips

  • Swap out the maple syrup for date syrup or another liquid sweetener
  • Swap out the gluten-free flour for buckwheat flour, oat flour or your choice
  • Eggs could be swapped for flax eggs, I haven't tested this option yet but the cake is very forgiving and I am sure it would work
  • Butter and dairy could be replaced with plant-based options.