This traditional British Sticky Toffee Pudding dessert gets a slight makeover with sweet California Prunes instead of dates. Tender sponge cake is coated in a buttery and luscious caramel sauce. Every bite is to die for!
Preheat oven to 375F (180C). Coat 6 individual-sized ramekins with nonstick cooking spray; place on a baking tray.
Place butter, baking soda, salt, both sugars, eggs, vanilla, and flour in a food processor; pulse until just combined. Add in the prunes and water; pulse until nearly smooth.
Spoon the mixture into the ramekins, about 2/3 way full. Bake for about 18 minutes, until just firm to the touch and springs back to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
Preheat the broiler, putting the rack 4 inches (10 cm) from the heat source.
In the meantime, make the caramel sauce, place butter, cream, brown sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking continuously until the mixture bubbles gently. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, stirring often, about 3-4 minutes.
Remove cakes from the ramekins and slice in half horizontally; place the bottom halves back in the ramekins and drizzle with a little of the caramel sauce. Then place the cake tops back on and drizzle with a little more of the caramel sauce. Place the ramekins under the broiler for about 1-2 minutes (watch it closely) until it bubbles and looks sticky.
Turn out cakes onto individual plates and drizzle with a little bit more of the caramel sauce, and a dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of heavy cream.
Notes
1. Soaked cakes and any remaining sauce can be made 1 day ahead; cover and place in the refrigerator. To reheat cakes, place in the oven for about 10 minutes at 300 F (150 C) degrees (or in the microwave on medium for about 1 minute.) Reheat the sauce in the microwave for about a minute.2. Feeling lazy and don't want to make the caramel sauce from scratch? You can cheat and buy it. Ghirardelli and Torani both make a great version.3. Want to bake your toffee pudding in a baking dish, instead of ramekins? If you don’t have ramekins, don’t fret! Use a 9x9 inch (22x22 cm) pan and bake for 30 minutes at 350 F (180 C) degrees. Then poke holes all over the cake and pour the caramel sauce over the top; cut into squares to serve. Keep an eye on the pudding as cooking time may vary slightly with a larger pan.