Sugar-Free Sticky Date Pudding with Caramel (Gluten-Free)

This Sticky Date Pudding with Caramel Topping is nearly unbelievable — moist, caramel-rich, sugar free and gluten free. It’s an ideal holiday dessert that lets you feel better about the treats you share with family.

We recently spent a few weeks in Australia with my husband’s family. They’re not originally Australian — my husband was born in London and the family moved to Zimbabwe when he was seven. As adults they scattered around the world for work. My husband lived briefly in Australia, and eventually his sister and parents relocated there as well. No one was keen to return to England’s dreary weather.

My in-laws adore sweets. While we were visiting, afternoons often involved tea and cake, followed later by happy hour with crisps and drinks. Grandma especially wanted to spoil our son Xander. On the first day she insisted on giving him treats, and we allowed a few indulgences so she could enjoy spoiling him. After that first day we tried to moderate things, but by the end of the trip Xander could point to the freezer and babble for ice cream — he knew exactly where it was.

I want to preserve those family food traditions but in a healthier way that aligns with my beliefs about nutrition and food culture. Serving desserts that are lower in refined sugar — or free of added sugar — is an important part of that.

Food should be joyful. It brings people together and creates memories, and it also affects how we feel and perform every day.

I have been cooking with dates for years and love how they sweeten naturally and add body to desserts. Many of my favorite recipes use dates as the only sweetener, such as oatmeal walnut date bars, blueberry breakfast bars, and no-bake chocolate-cookie bars. Dates also work beautifully in drinks like caramel mocha concentrate and iced chai.

Before Xander was eating honey and eggs, I made carrot muffins adapted from OhSheGlows, substituting the sugar with pureed dates. The result was so successful that I began using date paste regularly for quick breads and muffins.

This cake began as my first attempt to make date bread without added sugar. It turned out so sweet and satisfying that I transformed it into this Sticky Date Pudding with a date caramel topping. The result: so dang good — no sugar needed.

Tips for the Sticky Date Pudding with Caramel Topping

Use a high-speed blender or food processor for the smoothest results. The cake batter processes well in a strong blender; the date caramel is easiest in a food processor or high-speed blender. If your blender is less powerful, the batter will still work but may take longer to blend.
Make ahead: The finished cake freezes well. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap (the pecans help prevent the wrap from sticking to the caramel), then place it in a freezer bag or container. It should keep for a month or two.
Dairy-free option: Replace Greek yogurt with coconut yogurt, or simply substitute 3/4 cup hot water in its place. I tested with all water and the difference was subtle.

Sticky Date Pudding with Caramel Top

A gluten-free, sugar-free dessert that delivers the sticky, caramel flavor you want at holiday gatherings without refined sugar.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: English-inspired

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 12 slices

Calories: 240 kcal

Author: Michelle Miller

Ingredients

2 cups Medjool dates, pitted
1/2 cup hot water
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Pecans, toasted, for garnish

Date Caramel Sauce

1 cup Medjool dates
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons coconut oil
Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line a 9×9-inch cake pan with parchment paper (a springform pan works well) and lightly grease the sides with coconut oil. Set aside.
Place the pitted Medjool dates in a medium bowl and pour the hot water over them. Let them soak 5–10 minutes, depending on how dry they were.
Transfer the soaked dates and their soaking water to a blender. Add the Greek yogurt, eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla. Blend until very smooth.
In a medium bowl whisk together the millet flour, oat flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and sea salt. Pour the blended wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined and no dry streaks remain.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 32–38 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean. If needed, bake a few minutes longer to avoid any gummy center.
While the cake cools, make the date caramel: add the dates, butter, coconut oil, and salt to a food processor and process on high, scraping down the sides as needed. If your dates are dry or smaller than Medjools, soak them briefly in hot water and drain before processing. If you use a smaller date variety, you may need about 2 cups for the caramel.
When the cake has cooled, spread the date caramel evenly over the top and sprinkle with toasted pecans. If the caramel is too thick to spread, add 1–2 tablespoons hot water and process again to loosen it.

Notes

Smaller date varieties can substitute for Medjools, though Medjool dates are softer and easier to work with. If you don’t have millet flour, use a combination of oat and almond flour (half oat, half almond). Avoid increasing millet flour in place of the others, as it can make the cake crumbly. Store-bought oat flour is fine, or make your own by blending oats into a fine flour.

Nutrition

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Other fruit-sweetened dessert recipes

Paleo Apple Crisp, by Paleoaholic
Paleo Banana Snack Cake, by Detoxinista
Banana Bread Date Bars, by Healthy Happy Mama
Oatmeal Walnut Date Bars, by Vitamin Sunshine
Double Pumpkin Pie Muffins, by Vitamin Sunshine

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