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Sticky toffee pudding is one of those desserts that feels impressive but is surprisingly straightforward to make. At its core, it's a soft date cake baked over a layer of warm toffee sauce, then finished with more sauce poured over the top.

As the pudding bakes, the sauce underneath thickens and bubbles while the cake rises above it. The result is rich, deeply caramelized, and best served warm, straight from the pan.

We like baking it in a No.5 Field Skillet, which turns out to be just the right size for this kind of dessert—and the curved side walls make for easy pudding serving. Cast iron holds steady heat in the oven, helping the pudding bake evenly while the toffee develops its deep, buttery flavor.

Set the skillet on the table and let everyone dig in.

Field Notes

1.

Chilling the toffee sauce in the freezer while you prepare the batter helps it stay in place when you spread the pudding on top.

2.

Dark brown sugar (like demerara or muscovado) gives the toffee sauce a deeper, more complex flavor than regular brown sugar.

3.

The pudding is done when a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs attached—not wet batter, but not completely clean either. This keeps it soft and fudgy.

Recipe: Cast Iron Sticky Toffee Pudding

Yield: 3–4 Servings
Print Recipe

Toffee Sauce

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup dark brown sugar (demerara or muscovado work well)
  • 1¼ tablespoons golden syrup or molasses
  • Pinch of salt

Pudding

  • 3 ounces pitted dates, chopped
  • ½ cup water, boiling
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ⅔ cup flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Tools

No.5 Field Skillet

Resources

The Field Method for Cast Iron Care

Adapted from David Lebovitz

Instructions

1.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly butter a No.5 Field Skillet.

2.

Make the toffee sauce: In a small saucepan, bring the cream, brown sugar, golden syrup (or molasses), and salt to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats a spoon.

3.

Pour half the sauce into the prepared skillet and place the skillet in the freezer while you prepare the batter. Reserve the remaining sauce for serving.

4.

Place the dates and baking soda in a heat-safe bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Set aside.

5.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

6.

In a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until incorporated, then stir in the vanilla. Add half the flour mixture, followed by the warm date mixture, then the remaining flour mixture. Stir just until combined.

7.

Remove the skillet from the freezer and spread the batter over the chilled toffee sauce.

8.

Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the top is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.

9.

Let the pudding cool slightly, then serve warm with the reserved toffee sauce spooned generously over the top.

 

Seasoning Rating: Better

Because this recipe starts with a generous layer of butter and a thick pool of bubbling toffee sauce, your skillet gets a healthy coating of fat as it bakes. That's good news for cast iron. While it won't build seasoning the way frying does, the butter and cream help keep the cooking surface protected and happy. Just clean the pan after serving and keep cooking.

Seasoning Ratings:

Best—These dishes are the best options for building resilient seasoning, and surefire choices for getting tricky pans back on track.

Better—The best way to keep your skillet in great shape is to cook frequently, and cast iron-friendly dishes like these are your bread and butter.

Safe—These recipes won't strip seasoning away from your pan, but won't really add any, either.

OK—Be sure to clean up promptly. Recipes with this rating might feature acidic ingredients which can affect seasoning if not washed soon after cooking.


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