Sticky date pudding with a rich caramel sauce

We’ve taken a traditional sticky date pudding recipe and swapped out some ingredients for plant-based ones to make it a vegan option everyone can enjoy! Rich and delicious, this version has just the right balance of sweet, while staying true to the traditional recipe. We’ve doused it in a warm caramel sauce to make it exquisitely sticky and satisfying — perfect for the cooler months.

As you can see below, the recipe consists of two parts and might look on the longer side, but I promise it’s surprisingly quick and easy. Enjoy!

Serves 8

Ingredients

CAKE — WET INGREDIENTS

• 450ml plant-based milk (we used soy)
• 230g dates, pitted then weighed and chopped
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
• 80ml vegetable or sunflower oil
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

CAKE — DRY INGREDIENTS

• 1 2/3 cups sifted or whole spelt flour
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 40g coconut palm sugar (you can substitute for brown sugar)

CARAMEL SAUCE

• 180g coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)
• 200ml coconut milk
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1.  For the cake, place milk in a saucepan and warm on medium heat until it reaches a gentle boil. Remove from the heat (do not let the milk boil).
2. Add chopped dates and set aside for 15 minutes until dates have softened. Once softened, stir in remaining wet ingredients.
3. Grease a 23cm baking pan with oil. Set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 200C.
5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk all dry ingredients together except coconut palm sugar. Pour wet ingredients into the dry mix. Fold and mix into a batter (the batter should be thick but not stodgy).
6. Add coconut palm sugar and fold into the mix. Do not overmix.
7. Pour batter into prepared baking disk and place in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower temperature to 180C and bake for a further 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out of the cake clean.
8. Leave cake to cool before poking it all over with a skewer.
9. To make caramel sauce, in a small saucepan on medium-high heat, add coconut palm sugar, coconut milk, golden syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk ingredients together and bring to a gentle boil.
10. When mixture begins to bubble, turn down heat and simmer while stirring for 5-8 minutes, or until it begins to thicken. The mixture will still be runny, but will thicken even after it’s taken off the heat. Do not overcook or it will become firm. If this happens as mixture cools, add a small amount of water and warm it on a low heat until the mix is syrupy.
11. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then generously pour sauce over the pudding. Save some sauce for serving. I recommend serving warm.