Falling in Love Sticky Toffee Cake

sticky toffee cake slice 3

Oh boy.  As my little Munchie said when I caught her sneaking bites of this cake (after she already had one not-so-small slice), “I’m just falling in love with this cake!”

It’s true.  We both fell in love with this cake.  I first had sticky toffee cake years ago in a British restaurant.  It was love at first bite.  But I rarely find it on menus and I don’t know why I didn’t make it sooner.  Probably a good thing (says my belly). 

sticky toffee cake 1 close

The original sticky toffee cake (or pudding i.e. dessert) is a British winter dessert.  Pshaw!  Too darn good to wait all year for, I say!  Plus, in my warped mind it’s winter all day, every day!  So you can see how this is right up my crazy California alley.

sticky toffee cake top shot

I found delicious whole dates at the market earlier this week and couldn’t wait to mess around in the kitchen to create my take on this cake.  Thank heavens it was a success and I’m eager to make it when we visit family this summer.  This is not necessarily a “date cake” and you can absolutely enjoy this toffee delight even if you’re not obsessed with dates like I am.

sticky toffee cake sharing with munchie

♥ My heartfelt thanks to our friends across the pond for this delicious cake. ♥ Perfect on a cold winter’s night after a big bowl of stew…or in the middle of the day with a cup of tea and a 4-year old by your side asking for “just ONE more bite, please!”

Sticky Toffee Cake

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 1.5 cups whole, pitted dates, chopped
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1.5 cups flour
  • 1 and 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/4 cup whole milk

For the toffee sauce:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 350°.  Spray a 9-in round spring form pan with Baker’s Joy (or grease and flour the pan).  Set aside.  Place the chopped dates and water in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and let boil about a minute.  Take off heat.  Cool a bit, but you will want it warm when you add it to the cake mix.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl using a hand mixer), whip the butter and granulated sugar until it becomes a bit fluffy.  This will take a couple of minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time making sure the first egg is incorporated fully before adding the second.  Add the vanilla to the butter mixture.  Next, add the following in order on low speed (make sure each is incorporated before adding the next): half the flour mixture, then the date mixture, then the milk, and then the remaining flour mixture.  Mix just until combined thoroughly.  Pour into the prepared pan.  Bake for about 40 minutes or just until a toothpick inserted into the center has a bit of crumb stuck to it.  You don’t want it the toothpick to come out completely clean or the cake may overcook and be dry.  Place on a wire rack and cool for about 5 minutes.

In the meantime, make the toffee sauce:  Add the cream and sugar to a small saucepan and mix with a whisk or spoon.  Bring to a boil.  Mix again until smooth.  Add the butter and vanilla and let simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times.  It will thicken just slightly, but it will also thicken as it cools so don’t worry if it’s not thick when you pour it.  Using the smaller end of a chopstick, poke holes all over the warm cake.  Pour/spread about half the sauce over the cake.  If you can wait, let cake sit for about an hour to let sauce soak in.  Serve cake slices warm with another serving of warm toffee sauce on top.

Enjoy! ♥

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Slow Cooker Apricot Ginger Chicken

apricot chicken plated

Life’s been a little hectic lately so I’ve relied often on my handy-dandy slow cooker.  This is another yummy slow cooker recipe that calls for chicken thighs which I like because they don’t get easily dried out like chicken breast can.  My husband and little girl really enjoy this over brown rice with veggies.  The apricot and ginger are not overpowering at all.  They create good flavor and a nice little sauce to pour over your chicken and rice, too.

Apricot Ginger Chicken

Ingredients

  • about 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
  • 1 jar apricot preserves (I use a 12 oz. jar of Smuckers)
  • 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
  • 1/4 tsp. red chile flakes
  • 1/4 cup onion, diced
  • 1 medium (or half large) red bell pepper, diced

Place chicken thighs in your slow cooker (I rinse my chicken and snip off excess fat).  Salt and pepper them lightly.  In a bowl, mix the preserves, mustard, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and chile flakes together.  Pour over the chicken.  Mix chicken and sauce a bit to coat chicken.  Place diced onions on top of chicken.  Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.  When about 45 minutes of cook time remain, mix the bell pepper in.  Serve with rice.

*Please adjust cook time to suit your slow cooker since they can vary slightly.

Enjoy! ♥

Adapted from Make It Fast, Cook It Slow.

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

slow cooker whole chicken plated meal

Sometimes there’s nothing better than a baked chicken dinner.  But then life can get in the way and I get home too late in the afternoon to stick one in the oven.  Or maybe I’m just feeling lazy (likely story).  In any case, once in a while I “bake” it in the slow cooker.  Simple […]

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May Clutter-Busting Challenge: Day 13 & 14

Day 14

I’m joining Crystal of Money Saving Mom in her May challenge: Clutter-Busting Challenge: Get Rid of Seven Things Every Single Day in May!   Wanna join me?  Here’s what you do… Each week day in May go through your house and find 7 things you can toss, donate, recycle, sell, or find someone else who can use them.  That’s it.  These can be big […]

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May Clutter-Busting Challenge: Day 12

declutter day 12

I’m joining Crystal of Money Saving Mom in her May challenge: Clutter-Busting Challenge: Get Rid of Seven Things Every Single Day in May!   Wanna join me?  Here’s what you do… Each week day in May go through your house and find 7 things you can toss, donate, recycle, sell, or find someone else who can use them.  That’s it.  These can be big […]

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May Clutter-Busting Challenge: Day 11 & A real friend shows you the inside of her fridge

fridge exterior day 11

I’m joining Crystal of Money Saving Mom in her May challenge: Clutter-Busting Challenge: Get Rid of Seven Things Every Single Day in May!   Wanna join me?  Here’s what you do… Each week day in May go through your house and find 7 things you can toss, donate, recycle, sell, or find someone else who can use them.  That’s it.  These can be big […]

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May Clutter-Busting Challenge: Day 10

day 10

I’m joining Crystal of Money Saving Mom in her May challenge: Clutter-Busting Challenge: Get Rid of Seven Things Every Single Day in May!   Wanna join me?  Here’s what you do… Each week day in May go through your house and find 7 things you can toss, donate, recycle, sell, or find someone else who can use them.  That’s it.  These can be big […]

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May Clutter-Busting Challenge: Day 9

day 11

I’m joining Crystal of Money Saving Mom in her May challenge: Clutter-Busting Challenge: Get Rid of Seven Things Every Single Day in May!   Wanna join me?  Here’s what you do… Each week day in May go through your house and find 7 things you can toss, donate, recycle, sell, or find someone else who can use them.  That’s it.  These can be big […]

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May Clutter-Busting Challenge: Day 2 through 4

day 2 through 4

I’m joining Crystal of Money Saving Mom in her May challenge: Clutter-Busting Challenge: Get Rid of Seven Things Every Single Day in May!   Wanna join me?  Here’s what you do… Each week day in May go through your house and find 7 things you can toss, donate, recycle, sell, or find someone else who can use them.  That’s it.  These can be big […]

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DIY Cozy Cottage Herb Pots

labeled complete herb pots all four

I made a pact with myself recently:  I can only buy new flowers and plants if I care for them like children.  I have a tendency to lose interest in plants if they aren’t hardy and can’t handle a little negligence during the summer heat.  How awful, I know.  I’m growing up though.  I’m going to give it my best […]

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May Clutter-Busting Challenge: Day 1

day 1 pic

Happy May!  I have a feeling May is going to be a good month.  Power of positive thinking, right? To get me going on the right track, I’m joining Crystal of Money Saving Mom in her May challenge: Clutter-Busting Challenge: Get Rid of Seven Things Every Single Day in May!  *Note: I am a big fan of Crystal, […]

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Cooking with Gooseberry Patch: Buttery Apple Pound Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

buttery apple pound cake 78 number 2 labeled

“My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished 2 bags of M&M’s and a chocolate cake. I feel better already.” ~Dave Barry As well you should, Dave.  As well you should. Good cake almost always makes me feel better.  I […]

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Tomato Feta Orzo Salad

orzo salad 904

I ate about 2 cups of this with my dinner the other night.  That’s a lot.  Especially since the 2 cups was consumed with 2 BBQ drumsticks, corn on the cob, potato salad, and asparagus.  And French bread.  With butter.  I never said I was a light eater. However, this is a light side dish (or light lunch) that […]

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Orange Bundt Cake with Zesty Orange Glaze

Orange bundt cake 806

My goodness.  I took quite the blogging hiatus due to my camera being broken, a trip, and life being that word I loathe (starts with a “b” and ends with a ”y”). I’m back and I’ve got cake!  This orange Bundt is a refreshing treat for tea time or an afternoon snack.  I’d serve it for […]

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Blackberry Jam Potter Squares

blackberry jam squares 1

Books play a big role in my little girl’s days.  Cooking together is also a large part of our Mommy & Munchie days.  So we often try to create or recreate meals or dishes that we read about in books.  Since there aren’t always many food/recipe details we just use our imagination. All the talk […]

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Twice-Baked Mashy Mashed Potatoes

twice baked mashed 3

My husband could eat twice baked potatoes every night if I made them that often.   He loves the cheesiness and the slightly chewy potato skin–we eat our twice baked potato skins around here.  When I have a lot of leftover mashed potatoes or when I don’t want to mess with actually twice baking potatoes, I make […]

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Country Meyer Lemon Pie

country lemon pie 3

I’m still swimming in Meyer lemons over here and while that’s in NO way a complaint, I need to use some of these winners up before they go bad. I use them daily in my water and some teas, but mostly in my hot water with a teaspoon or two of honey.  My girlie loves to snack […]

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Blueberry Burst Crumb Cake

blueberry crumb cake 1

I told myself I was going to spend the next few weeks sharing only the healthier meals we eat around here. Fail. I promise to get to that…eventually. But first, I had to make this blueberry deliciousness.  I make a blueberry coffee cake that is a favorite among my family and close friends (totally patting […]

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Pink on White Heart Pancakes

heart pancakes 3

I love finding ways to infuse a little heart fun into the days preceding Valentine’s Day.  Therefore, the sweet heart is a leading character in our home and often takes the form of food like these heart pancakes.  Although I have a heart pancake mold, my little girl likes these “pink on white” pancake hearts. These are a cinch to […]

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Munchie’s Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins

cheese shapes

We make these muffins when I need to use up buttermilk.  I feel like I’m always saying that, but it’s true.  I almost always have buttermilk in the fridge and then I’m scrambling to use up the last cup or so.  I might be slightly obsessed with it.  I believe I’ve stated before that buttermilk […]

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