This Sticky Toffee Loaf Cake is heaven on a plate. It has all the classic flavours of a Sticky Toffee Pudding; dates, walnuts, and is flavoured using Nielsen Massey’s Gourmet Vanilla Extract. It is decorated with caramel buttercream, a caramel drizzle, and some fudgy pieces.
I must admit, I think this is my favourite loaf cake recipe ever! Sticky Toffee Pudding is my favourite pudding ever so when Nielsen Massey asked if I could make a twist on a classic recipe, I knew it had to be this.
Reasons to Love This Recipe
Nielsen Massey Gourmet Vanilla Extract – Nielsen Massey vanilla extracts and paste uses premium, hand-selected beans and a cold extraction process that preserves vanilla’s 300+ flavour compounds to ensure a full, sweet, and creamy flavour profile with velvety after-tones. Nielsen Massey are my go-to for gourmet Vanilla Extract and this recipe works perfectly with either their gourmet Vanilla Extract or gourmet Vanilla Bean Paste
Sticky Toffee Sponge – This sponge is made with dark brown sugar, black treacle, dates, walnuts. I tried to make it as close to the original dessert as possible. I decorated it with caramel buttercream but check out the alternatives for some other options.
Perfect for sharing – This recipe is perfect for sharing with friends/family/colleagues. I recommend making this in a 2lb loaf tin and it will serve between 10-12 people.
What is Sticky Toffee Pudding?
Sticky Toffee Pudding is a dessert made using finely chopped dates, covered in toffee sauce, and often served with vanilla custard or ice cream. It is considered a classic British Dessert although the exact origins are unknown.
Sticky Toffee Loaf
Before you start making your Sticky Toffee Loaf, boil the kettle, destone your dates and add them to a large bowl or jug, with a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. Next, add the water and leave it to sit for 10-15 minutes.
To make the loaf cake I started by mixing together the butter and dark brown sugar. In the sponge, you can use either unsalted butter the type that comes in a block wrapped in foil, or you can use a baking spread. I would recommend using dark brown sugar as opposed to light brown sugar as the darker the sugar the more caramelly taste you get from the bake.
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Next, add in the flour, eggs and gourmet vanilla bean paste and mix until completely combined. Add in the Black Treacle and date mixture and mix again. Finally, fold through the chopped walnuts.
Pour the mixture into your preprepared loaf tin and bake in the oven for 50-55 minutes.
How Do I Know the Cake is Baked?
You will know the loaf is baked because it will spring back when touched. You could also use a cake skewer to test the thickest part of the cake. If it comes out clean then the loaf is ready. If there is still batter on it put it back into the oven for 3-4 minutes and repeat until the skewer comes out clean.
Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes before transferring onto a wire rack to cool fully.
Caramel Buttercream
Once the cake has cooled, we can make the buttercream. Start by mixing the butter, icing sugar and vanilla bean paste together. For the buttercream, you must use unsalted butter. Do not use a baking spread or your buttercream will be far too soft and won’t hold its shape.
When the icing sugar, butter and gourmet vanilla bean paste are fully combined, add in the caramel and mix again.
I would recommend using a thick and gloopy caramel rather than a thin caramel sauce. If you use a thin caramel sauce you will need to use more of it to get the flavour and it will make your buttercream too soft to pipe.
If you find the buttercream is a bit thick add a tablespoon of milk one at a time mixing in between each addition until you reach the desired consistency.
Pop the buttercream into a piping bag with your favourite piping tip and leave it to one side.
Decorating the Cake
Start by placing the cake on your serving plate. It will be so much easier to decorate and will mean you won’t need to move the cake once it is decorated.
Pipe the buttercream onto the top of the cake. I did this in horizontal lines, but you can decorate it in any way you want.
Once you have piped all the buttercream on top. Put a little of the caramel into a piping bag and drizzle over the top. Decorate with some leftover chopped walnuts and fudge pieces.
Alternatives
So, I used a caramel buttercream because I love how well it goes with the Sticky Toffee Pudding dessert but if you would rather use a vanilla buttercream then just leave out the caramel when making the buttercream. If you use Nielsen Massey’s Gourmet Vanilla Paste then the buttercream will have lovely little vanilla speckles throughout.
Equipment
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AD – Sticky Toffee Loaf Cake
Ingredients
For the Loaf
- 175 g Stoned Dates
- 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
- 125 ml Boiling Water
- 200 g Dark Brown Sugar
- 200 g Unsalted Butter or Stork
- 200 g Self-Raisng Flour
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 tsp Nielsen Massey Gourmet Vanilla Bean Paste
- 75 g Black Treacle
- 100 g Walnuts (chopped)
For the Buttercream
- 400 g Icing Sugar
- 200 g Unsalted Butter
- 50 g Caramel
- 1 tsp Nielsen Massey Gourmet Vanilla Bean Paste
For Decoration
- Leftover Caramel
- Leftover Walnuts (chopped)
- Fudge Pieces
Instructions
To Make the Loaf Cake
- Boil the kettle. Remove the stones from the dates and roughly chop. Add them to a bowl or jug and sprinkle over the bicarbonate of soda. Add the boiling water and leave for 10-15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180C (160C Fan) and line a loaf tin with baking parchment. Leave to one side.
- In a bowl mix together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add in the flour, eggs and vanilla and mix again until combined.
- Add in the black treacle, date mixture, and chopped walnuts and mix until they are completely combined.
- Pour the mixture into your loaf tin and bake in the oven for 50-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool compleltey.
To Make the Buttercream
- n a bowl mix together the icing sugar, butter and caramel until it is combined.
- If the buttercream is too thick add 1tbsp of milk at a time and mix in between each addition until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Put your buttercream into a piping bag.
To Decorate
- Remove your loaf cake from the tin and place it on your serving plate. Pipe the buttercream on the top of the cake.
- Add the caramel to a piping bag with a small round nozzle. Or if using a disposable piping bag snip the tip of the bag and drizzle over the top of the cake.
- Decorate by sprinkling over the fudge pieces and chopped walnuts.
That looks very sweet and extremely satisfying,
Thank you very much!
Ah amazing! I hope you both enjoy it! You should be able to pick one up in your local supermarket they are normally quite inexpensive
YES!!! This sounds like the perfect Sunday!
Oh my goodness, this looks INCREDIBLE! I love sticky toffee pudding, I actually had it as pudding at my wedding. I’m not great at baking but I NEED to try this ❤️
It is the best dessert ever isn’t it! Yes, you will 100% be able to do it, just take it one step at a time!
Wow this looks amazing! Thank you for sharing this recipe Sarah x
Thank you!!
This looks and sounds amazing! My mouth is watering, thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much!!
This Sticky toffee loaf cake looks amazing! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Thank you!
Oh my gosh! This looks amazing! Is this recipe do-able for someone who is a complete idiot and klutz in the kitchen (ahem, me)?
I am sure you’re not an idiot and klutz in the kitchen!! Just take it one step at a time and read the recipe before you start so you know what to expect and it will be perfect!