Warm sticky toffee pudding is great comfort food. Here’s how to make a single serving quickly and easily in the microwave!
Sometimes, you only want one mug cake and you want it fast, so I’ve developed a delicious single serving sticky toffee pudding recipe for the microwave. That said, you can easily double of triple the recipe to have more to share.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Dates – regular baking dates are all you need for this sticky toffee pudding. They are usually sold in blocks in the baking aisle of the grocery store.
Light and Dark Brown Sugar – using a combination of light and dark brown sugar makes a more complex toffee sauce, but if you only have one type of brown sugar, just use what you have.
Heavy Cream – this is the 35% b.f. whipping cream.
Recipe Tips
Microwaves vary, so timing may be a bit different in your microwave. Use your best judgement to adjust time by looking at it/testing.
Get the Recipe: Microwave Sticky Toffee Pudding
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter
- 2 Tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed
- 3 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream, 35% b.f.
Cake:
- 1/4 cup dates, (about 7-8 dates)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup boiling water
- 1 Tablespoon butter, at room temperature
- 4 teaspoons light brown sugar, packed
- 4 teaspoons dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 large egg, optional *see Note 1 below
- 6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch salt
- Pecan pieces, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Measure out dates, then coarsely chop. In a medium microwaveable bowl, add 1/4 cup water and microwave on high for 50 seconds. Stir in the chopped dates and baking soda. Stir to combine, then let stand for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add the butter to the bowl with the dates and let it sit in the warm liquid for another 5 minutes.
- Make the sauce by combining the butter, brown sugars and cream in a medium microwavable bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds. Remove and stir for 15-20 seconds or until butter is melted. Return to the microwave and microwave a further 30-45 seconds or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Set aside for now.
- After the dates have stood for the second 5 minutes, stir to combine (butter should be all melted). Add the brown sugars and egg, if using and stir in to combine. Add the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Stir until flour is all mixed in.
- Divide the batter between two microwave safe mugs or small bowls. Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes uncovered. Test with a skewer to make sure the cake is set. (If not, microwave more in 15 second increments until set). Use a skewer to poke some holes in the cakes and run it around the outside as well, to make some space for the sauce to fill down the sides. Pour toffee sauce over-top. Garnish with some pecan pieces, if desired. ALLOW TO STAND A FEW MINUTES before eating, to allow the sauce to cool a bit and the cake to set-up and the sauce to soak in. **Important that you let it stand. That sauce can be very hot!!
- Enjoy warm with a scoop of ice cream, if desired.
Notes
- To get 1/2 an egg, break an egg into a small cup and stir together with a fork. Use 1/2 of the mixture.
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Can these be made ahead to some stage then finished off?
Hi Lindy, I’m not exactly sure, as I haven’t tried it. I suspect so, as the main leavener is baking powder, which is heat activated, so it won’t do anything until it gets in the oven. Should hold well when made ahead and refrigerated.
I’m about to make the baked version of these & noticed that your recipes says ‘serves 8’ yet the instructions tell me to divide the mixture into 4 mugs. Could you please let me know if this serves 4 or 8?
Thanks so much
Hi Louise, it totally depends on the size of your mug. The large corningware mugs I used here only make 4. But they are big! Smaller mugs will go much further or ramekins will make 8.
These look so cozy and comforting, the perfect winter dessert!
Thanks so much, Laura :)
Oh my goodness, these look amazing, Jennifer!! My husband has a strange addiction to mug cakes… like, he is always begging me to make them. Lol. I never complain because they are so dang easy! Can’t wait to surprise him with this one, and I will take your advice and bake it!! I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday! Cheers!
Thanks Cheyanne and I get your husband’s addiction. There’s just something about wrapping your hands around your own personal warm mug of cake ;) He will love this and yes, the baked version is so perfect. Worth the bit of extra time to make.
It’s just the Mr and I living in our little house so I’m loving the idea of making teeny tiny cakes for two. Of course you didn’t bring us just any old cake but rather this ooey, gooey super tantalizing sticky toffee pudding cake. How could I possibly resist?
Hi Lynn and you must not even try to resist :) These are yummy little cakes and do enjoy!
What a fun idea to make these cakes in mugs, I totally need to pick up a set and give this amazing looking treat a try!
Thanks Sara. I think you would love these!
Oh my goodness. I will want one of these when we come home from skiing and sledding over the holidays. You make the most delicious treats, Jennifer!
I just love the cozy feel of this yummy pudding and want to be curled up under a blanket with a spoon. It sure is hibernating weather!
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Jennifer!
Thanks Robyn and yes, the perfect thing to warm up with :) Sounds like the weather will be giving us a break for the next while, so that’s a nice change! Merry Christmas to you and yours as well.
Ok Jennifer..you’re killing me this week! I had sticky toffee pudding only once in my life at a restaurant in Toronto years ago and it was so good! I am going to be making this for Christmas! Thanks so much for posting this!
Enjoy this Colleen! It is a great choice and I think you will love it :) Merry Christmas to you and your family :)
I have several of these mugs and we love them – but I would love them even more if they had this pudding inside! Wow – just wow – this is a dreamy dessert for sure. I’ve always wanted to make mug cakes but never have – guess I need to try this one! Perfect holiday dessert. Merry Christmas Jennifer!
Thanks so much, Tricia and Merry Christmas to you, as well!!
Another delicious mug cake Jennifer! I have actually never tried sticky toffee pudding, but holy moly it looks good!
Thanks so much, Mary Ann and you really must strike that one off your list of things to try soon. You won’t regret it :)
Oh my goodness!! These have my name written all over them. Sticky Toffee Pudding is one of my all-time favorite desserts. I love this mug version, I will be trying it, for sure!
Thanks Chris :) These were so good. I hadn’t had a sticky toffee pudding in ages and it really hit the spot!!