Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream
Sticky toffee pudding is a classic dessert for my family and is served every holiday season. When my brother’s birthday came around and he asked me to make a cake, I knew exactly what flavor to do. Who says you can’t combine two great things, cake, and sticky toffee pudding, into one wonderful thing, sticky toffee pudding cake. I got this recipe from one of my new favorite cookbooks, Bake From Scratch, and I knew it was perfect. This cake has a wonderful combination of flavors. The sweetness from the white chocolate ties in perfectly with the mild sweetness and nuttiness from the sponge Then, the whole cake is brought to life with the caramel sauce over the top.
I won’t lie to you, this is not the easiest cake. It takes time and it has some steps to it. In the end, it is well worth it. I made the sponge the night before my brother’s birthday to save some time. If you are like me and don’t want to rush the process, the best way to stop the sponge from drying out is by simply placing each layer in plastic bags after they are cooled. This works great to keep a moist sponge and even better, you can guarantee you will be working with completely cooled layers.
Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream
Ingredients
Sponge
1 3/4 cups pitted dates
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
3 eggs
3 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Caramel sauce
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 cup salted butter (cut into cubes)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp salt
White chocolate buttercream
1 cup white chocolate
3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
About 30 minutes before you are going to start, soak the dates in a bowl with the water and baking soda. Set aside until you are ready to start.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 3 high sided, 8-inch pans by oiling, flouring, and placing circles of parchment paper on the bottom. Set to the side.
In a large bowl, bream butter and sugars at medium speed for 3-4 minutes, or until light and fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula. After creaming, scrape down sides one more time. Add eggs one at a time, combining one at a time until each is well combined. Scrape downsides. Add in date mixture and vanilla, mixing for 1 minute. (including water. This is where I was like I did something wrong. It is supposed to look curdled don’t worry.) Scrape down sides again.
In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Add in lemon zest. Gradually add to the wet mixture until combined. You don’t want any lumps of flour.
Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Rotate pans halfway through to ensure an even bake. Let cool in pans for about 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack until completely cool.
While the sponge is baking you can start the caramel sauce. Place sugar, water, and corn syrup in a large saucepan and swirl to combine. Do not use a wooden spoon yet. Over medium-high heat, bring a slight simmer. DO NOT MIX! After about 10-15 minutes, you will have a saucepan full of lovely amber liquid. Remove from heat.
With a wooden spoon, stir in butter (it will steam and foam a lot, don’t freak out.) Place cream into a microwave for 35 seconds so it becomes warm. Pour into amber liquid slowly and stir continuously. (It will foam again.) Set aside to cool completely.
While sponges and caramel are cooling, begin buttercream. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate in the microwave. (I like to do 20-30 second intervals, stirring after each, to ensure I don’t burn my chocolate.) Set aside for 15 minutes.
In a large bowl, cream butter and white chocolate on medium-high speed until completely combined, about 3 minutes. You want to make sure there are no lumps. With 1 cup intervals, add in sugar, alternate with the cream. Combine completely before the next addition of cream or sugar.
Now is the part you have been waiting for, building the cake. I made mine by alternating sponge and buttercream, leaving an overhang of buttercream on each layer and a full layer of buttercream on top. After I finished the stack, I speared the overhung buttercream along the edges to create that naked look. Then, I poured the caramel over the top and let is run down the edges. Or, decorate any other ways that you desire.
Now you can show off your masterpiece to your friends and family. If you are feeling wild, finish off your slice with the remaining caramel.