The ultimate indulgent vegan sticky date pudding served with a generous drizzle of caramel sauce. This is the classic recipe you know and love just made dairy and egg free!
Sticky date pudding reminds me of when I was a kid. I’m not sure if mum made it often or if I just remember it that way because we would request it for pretty much every special occasion.
Sticky date pudding is rich, sweet and warming. It is exactly what a dessert is meant to be. This version is exactly like the sticky date pudding I grew up with but with a few simple swaps that make it dairy-free and vegan.
I love this recipe because it’s a little bit fancy and an all time crowd pleaser, but it’s actually really easy to make meaning it’s perfect for beginners wanting to try and impress with a family favorite recipe.
Ingredients for sticky date pudding
There are two components to this recipe; the pudding itself and the caramel sauce.
To make the pudding, you’ll need;
- Dates – I use regular, dried dates for this recipe. You can use medjool if you want but it’s really not necessary.
- Bicarbonate soda and boiling water – you’ll soak the dates in this mixture to soften them and help break down the dates. The reserved water will also be used in the cake to make it super soft and sticky.
- Self-raising flour – common in most Australian and UK households, however if you don’t have it, a combination of plain flour and baking powder can be used instead.
- Coconut blossom sugar – the only unusual ingredient in this recipe, coconut blossom sugar can be found at the supermarket and is a low GI, unrefined sugar with deep and rich caramel flavours making it perfect for this recipe while keeping the sweetness under control.
- Coconut oil – will ensure the cake holds together and remains nice and soft and moist.
- Vanilla – for extra flavour
For the vegan caramel sauce
This caramel is a little different to my regular caramel sauce in that we swap out some of the ingredients to use what you’ll already have on hand based on the cake ingredients.
- Coconut blossom sugar – this sugar gives the caramel a deep, rich flavour and I find it much less sweet than traditional refined white sugar.
- Canned coconut milk – quality coconut milk is essential to deliver a thick, creamy texture. You always want to use one from the can, and find one that’s not watery or full of preservatives. I love the TCC brand from Woolworths and use it for everything that calls for coconut milk.
- Coconut oil – instead of using butter for the caramel, we are replacing it with coconut oil.
- Vanilla – further rounding out the flavour of this sauce
- Salt – we don’t want this to be a salted caramel, but just a little pinch of salt will cut some of the sweetness and let us focus on the rich caramel flavour.
How to make vegan sticky date pudding
The sticky date cake is really simple to make. You’ll need a food processor or bullet blender, 2 bowls and a whisk to get started.
In a small bowl, soften the dried dates in boiling water with bicarbonate soda for 15 minutes. Whatever you do, do not throw away this water as you will need it to make the pudding.
Using the food processor or bullet blender, chop up the dates until they form a chunky paste.
In your large bowl, use a whisk to mix together the melted coconut oil and coconut blossom sugar. Add in the chopped dates, followed by the reserved date water and the flour. Whisk together until a batter forms.
Pour the batter into a 20 cm square pan that has been lined and greased with baking paper and cooking oil spray, and bake in a moderate oven for about 35-40 minutes or until a skewer when inserted comes out clean.
While the cake is cooking, make your caramel by adding all of the ingredients into a small saucepan and boil until a thick caramel forms. You need to make sure you are watching and whisking this occasionally to make sure it doesn’t burn or boil over. For this reason, make sure your saucepan has nice tall sides.
The caramel will continue to thicken as it cools.
Like most puddings, this is best served straight away while everything is still warm. Slice the cake into squares and drizzle with a very generous amount of the caramel sauce. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and let it melt into the caramel as well if you’re feeling super indulgent.
How to store the pudding
You can make the cake and caramel in advance if you like. The cake portion will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, and you can freeze it for up to 3 months by wrapping it in plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out.
To defrost, leave it in the fridge or on the kitchen counter overnight.
Warm up your slices in the microwave for a few seconds for that freshly baked feeling!
For the caramel, it will store in the fridge for about a week however it will get super thick. To use, simply warm up the carmel by putting the container in a bowl of warm water until the caramel reaches drizzly consistency. I don’t recommend freezing the caramel.
This vegan sticky date pudding is sweet, soft, and super rich which is exactly what a sticky date pudding should be! As an added bonus this recipe is so easy to make so I am sure this dessert will become a regular crowd pleaser at your house.
You definitely don’t need to be vegan to appreciate how delicious this pudding actually is, but it’s great to finally have a recipe that allows non-dairy eaters to indulge in a little (ok, a lot) of caramel.
More vegan dessert recipes:
Vegan Caramel Cake
Mini Vegan Chocolate Cake
Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes
Vegan Brownies
Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes
Homemade Tim Tams (Vegan)
Vegan Caramel Slice
Vegan Sticky Date Pudding With Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
For The Pudding
- 2 cups dates
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
- 1 cup self-raising flour
- ¾ cup coconut blossom sugar
- ½ cup coconut oil melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For The Caramel Sauce
- ¾ cup coconut blossom sugar
- 1 x 400ml can coconut milk
- 3 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch salt to taste
Instructions
For The Pudding
- Preheat oven to 180°C and prepare a 20cm (8 inch) square baking pan with a light spray of cooking oil and baking paper.
- Add dates, boiling water and bicarb soda in a bowl and set aside for 15 minutes until dates have softened.
- If your coconut is solid, soften it in the microwave for 30 seconds before then adding it to a large bowl. Add in coconut blossom sugar and whisk together.
- Once the dates are soft, strain and save the water. Finely chop up dates using a food processor or bullet blender before adding to mixture.
- To the sugar and coconut oil mixture, add sifted flour and the water from the dates. Using an electric hand held mixer, beat everything together until well combined.
- Add in chopped dates and mix until smooth.
- Pour mixture into a prepared baking tray and place in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
For The Caramel Sauce
- In a small saucepan on high, add coconut oil, coconut blossom sugar and coconut milk. Using a whisk, slowly stir until mixture comes to the boil.
- Turn down heat and continue to stir for 15 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken and become a darker caramel colour. Add a pinch of salt to taste. The mixture will still be runny but will continue to thicken after you take it off the heat.
- Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before generously drizzling the caramel sauce over the pudding.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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Toni Morgan
This was lovely! My dad (very non vegan) was surprised and loved it. I used vegan butter in exchange for the oil in the sauce and it was great! I also use the Vegan butter in the cake too and it was still moist and fluffy.
Thanks for a great recipe! Super easy too!
Sally
These are always my favourite comments to read! Thanks so much for sharing Toni and I’m glad you and your dad enjoyed it!
Ella
Only made the caramel sauce recipie but was very disappointed. Swapped to brown sugar and coconut cream but same quantities and followed the steps carefully. The sauce was simmering for a good 30 min and I even tried flat out boiling for another 10; still no caramel colour or thickening. It tastes OK so I’ll still use it but a massive let down considering I was after thick golden sauce like the photo for my Christmas dessert.
Sally
Hi Ella. Sorry this happened for you. I cannot guarantee the same results with a recipe when using different ingredients as I haven’t tested it myself. The sauce should be still thin when cooking but thickens up as it cools.
Delia
Thanks for this gorgeous recipe! We used GF flour vs normal, and reduced the sweetener and it was still awesome! Thank you so much!
Sally
So happy you enjoyed it and were able to make it GF! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Dayna
I never bother rating recipes but this was delicious! You wouldn’t even know it’s vegan, it’s that good! The pudding/cake on its own is beautiful and is lovely with a tea or coffee. I’ve struggled making date cakes before as they usually come out too doughy and tough, but this is the perfect mix of moist and sticky. Going to be saving this recipe for a long time. Thank you very much! 🙂
Sally
Thanks so much for your wonderful comment Dayna – so happy you enjoyed this recipe x
Amy (@i_love_cooking_plants)
I have made this recipe twice now, once as described and once double quantity, both worked perfectly. I baked the double quantity in a round 23cm tin and it just took a little bit longer. SO extremely delicious, an excellent recipe! Xxx
Sally
Thanks so much Amy – so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Sansha
Cooked this for Christmas as my brother and sister in law are vegan. Cooked for 20 mins in. A well greased muffin tray (did 10 puds) and reduced to 160 degrees as I find my over runs hot. Puds are very soft so take care when tipping out.
I soaked chopped dates over night and didn’t further blitz them. Only added 1/2 cup of the sugar and a dash of cinnamon. I also used canola oil as I was finding with the coconut in the butterscotch sauce, and in the vegan ice cream, the coconut flavour was really dominating for me.
Thanks for a great easy to follow recipe.
Sally
Merry Christmas Sansha, thank you for choosing this recipe for your family 🙂
Al
Hi, I was hoping to make this in a muffin tin for individual servings – how would you recommend adjusting the baking time?
Sally
Hi Al, I haven’t tried it myself but I would start at 20 minutes and then continue at 5 minute intervals until it’s cooked through. Let me know how you go!
Pascale
I made this tonight, was absolutely yummmmmy.
I made the cake as is but ran out of coconut oil for the sauce so Used one tablespoon coconut oil and substituted two tablespoons for vegan butter, it took a little longer to thicken up. And I used a 20cm round tin. Cake was so delicious and sauce went perfect. Keeping this recipe for the make often pile. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Blue
Are eggs not needed in this recipe?
Sally
No, this recipe is made without eggs.
Pascale
Hi Sally 😊
Could I replace the flour for Gluten Free self raising?
Also how do you think this would go in a load pan, round pan and muffin pan?
Thank you
Sally
I haven’t tried using gluten free flour in this, but I would imagine it would work fine. You may just have a slightly denser cake and that wouldn’t be bad with this recipe. Many readers have baked this in a loaf pan with good results. If you do change the pan size, just make sure you alter the cooking time as this will vary. Hope you enjoy!
Simone
I actually made this yesterday and used 1 cup gluten free flour + 1.5 tsp baking powder and used a loaf pan. It was perfect! I also added a dash of my homemade rum vanilla to the sauce 🙂
Guin
What type of dates do you use – dried or Medjool? What size cake pan do you recommend?
Sally
Hi Guin. I use regular dried dates as they are soaked before using. And I use a 20cm square pan. Thanks!
Snigdha Gupta
Hi Sally,
I made this recipe as is, only left the caramel sauce out.
Its perfect, beautiful texture and flavour. I added a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg and it tasted amazing.
Maybe next time, I’ll reduce the sugar in the cake and make the caramel sauce.
Sticky date pudding is one of my favourite desserts, thank you for creating a great easy to follow recipe 🙂
Sally
So glad you enjoyed it!
Morgan Tucker
Can you use maple syrup to replace coconut sugar in pudding and sauce??
Sally
Hi Morgan. We have never tried this so cannot say how it will turn out. My first thought is that if you wanted to try, you may need to reduce the other liquids as you would be replacing a dry ingredient with a liquid and this may impact the texture of both, but let me know if you do try it.
Vineeta Gogia
Hi instead of coconut oil what can we sub ? Can we use the same recepie for a large batch and increase it 6 times
Sally
Hi Vineeta! Canola oil would work as a replacement in the pudding itself, but I wouldn’t recommend that in the caramel. For the caramel, I would use a vegan butter substitute if you really wanted to replace the coconut oil. Note that I have not done this myself, so let me know if you do try! As for increasing the recipe by 6x, I have never done that so the only thing I would say is be careful when dealing with that much mixture as to not over-mix.
Mari
Excited to try this recipe as my first foray into dairy free cooking for a friend! Would u mind explaining using the coconut blossom sugar vs. brown sugar? Thank you so much
Sally
Hi Mari, coconut blossom sugar is unrefined compared to brown sugar. It therefore is low GI and contains several nutrients that brown sugar does not. I find it has a rich caramel flavour that works perfectly in this dessert, which is why I use it.
Rowena Bucklow
Oooh this looks really good. You mention about fridge storage – do you think I could freeze the pudding and / or the sauce?
Sally
Thanks Rowena. Sure, you could definitely freeze the pudding. Just wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months, defrost in the fridge overnight or on the kitchen bench. You can then reheat slices in the microwave if you want 🙂 For the caramel sauce, no, I wouldn’t freeze it as it could cause it to crystallise and change the texture.
Lillie
This recipe is incredible made it for a bunch of none vegans and they loved it. I haven’t had sticky date since going vegan and his was so incredible thank you so much!!!!
Sally
Thanks so much for your comment Lillie, I am so happy to hear everyone loved it 🙂
Michelle hughes
Absolutely delicious ! I used brown sugar because I didn’t have coconut sugar. I also added 1/2 a teaspoon of ginger powder – yum yum yum.
Sally
Sounds great Michelle! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Dana
I don’t have any coconut sugar for the Carmel sauce – would date sugar work?
Sally
Hi Dana. I haven’t used date sugar myself but as I understand it has a similar flavour profile so should yield a similar result. The only thing to consider is as date sugar is made from the fruit, it may not dissolve 100%. This however shouldn’t effect the taste. Let me know how you go.
Dee
HI, just wondering what size can of coconut milk please ? thank you
Sally
Hi Dee! Just a standard 400ml can.
Emily S
This was awesome, I’m so glad that I chose to follow this recipe for my first sticky date pudding. I made this recipe without any oil and instead of the caramel I used custard. It was amazing. Thank you so much!
Sally
So glad you loved it Emily!
Lisa
Hi Sally! I’m so excited to make this! Just wondering though for the pudding how much coconut oil is actually needed? (There’s no cup or table spoon measurement). Thank you!! 😊
Sally
Hi Lisa, thank you so much for letting me know about that typo! It is 1/2 cup of coconut oil in it’s liquid state. This gives the pudding its beautiful soft, sticky texture. I have updated the recipe as well for future 🙂 I hope you love it!
Lisa
Thanks Sally, I thought so 🙂 I just made it this afternoon!!! It was sooooo delicious, I’m recommending it to everyone hehe. And you’re right it’s so beautiful and soft 😀
Sally
Glad you loved it as much as I did Lisa! Thanks 🙂
Germaine
Absolutely delicious!! Thoroughly enjoyed by the whole family. Will definitely be making this again 🙂
Thank you for the recipe!
Sally
So great to hear Germaine, glad you enjoyed it!
Bryanna Modolo
Wow! I never thought such delicious caramelly goodness could be vegan friendly. This melt-in-the-mouth sticky date pudding had me licking the plate clean! 😍
Sally
Thanks so much Bryanna! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Annette
Delicious recipe – couldn’t take photo as it was eaten too fast
Sally
So glad you enjoyed it!