Condensed Milk Sticky Date Cake (2024)

Condensed Milk Sticky Date Cake is a rich, sweet, and sticky cake that is made with dried fruit and a can of condensed milk. It is really the most delicious cake and it is very easy to make.

Why make Condensed Milk Sticky Date Cake?

This Sticky Date Cake is the easiest fruit cake you will ever make. It’s made in a pan on the stove before transferring the ingredients to a cake tin. And it tastes absolutely divine, a rich moist cake with a slight caramel taste like a Sticky Toffee Pudding!

Where does the recipe come from?

This recipe for Condensed Milk Sticky Date Cake is one which appears in a number of different sources.I am not sure where the recipe originated from but it’s such a delicious cake and the recipe is often passed on to families and friends. It also featured on television when the Hairy Bikers tried it in their ‘Mum’s Know Best’ series.

What is a boiled fruit cake?

To make a boiled fruit cake you heat the ingredients in a pan on the stove and then bring it to a boil. Butter, sugar, dried fruit and condensed milk are heated to dissolve the sugars, then you add the dry ingredients to the boiled mixture. The mixture goes straight into the prepared tin and into the oven. It’s such a simple method and ideal for beginners.

What ingredients do I need to make Condensed Milk Sticky Date Cake?

All the ingredients are readily available in supermarkets and grocery stores. You will need:

• raisins
• dates
• sultanas (golden raisins)
• currants (zante currants)
• butter
• water
• sweetened condensed milk
• flour
• bicarbonate of soda
• marmalade

Can I substitute some of the dried fruit?

Yes, you can however the quantities in the recipe produce a nicely balanced flavour in the cake. If necessary you can use more raisins than sultanas or vice versa. The dates are non-negotiable as it’s a sticky date cake and I really recommend including the currants as they really add a depth of flavour to the cake.

What is condensed milk?

Condensed milk is cow’s milk that is heated to remove 60% of the water from the milk. This reduces the milk by at least half and thickens the consistency of the milk into a thick liquid. Sweetened condensed milk has added sweeteners usually in the form of sugar. This recipe uses sweetened condensed milk.

What kind of flour should I use in the cake?

Use plain (all purpose) flour for the sticky date cake. You can use half wholemeal (wheatmeal) flour and half plain (all purpose) flour if preferred.

What can I substitute for marmalade?

Marmalade adds a subtle fresh fruit flavour to the cake. However, if you don’t have any marmalade then you can either leave it out or use apricot jam.

All quantities and full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

What equipment do I need to make this cake?

You will need

• A large pan
• Weighing scales
• Measuring spoons
• A large bowl
• 22 cm (9 in) round cake tin
• Baking parchment
• skewer
• cooling rack

Can I use a square cake tin for this cake?

Yes, I have made the Sticky Date Cake in a 20 cm (8 in) square cake tin. It does make it easier to cut into even slices.

The cake is very moist with a caramel sweet taste that is totally irresistible.

How long can I keep the Sticky Date Cake?

Condensed Milk Sticky Date Cake keeps really well. The flavour of the cake improves after 2-3 days. Wrap the uncut cake in baking parchment then cover it with a layer of foil and store it in an airtight tin for up to a month. Once you cut the cake it will keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks but it’s very unlikely that it will last that long!

Can I freeze Condensed Milk Sticky Date Cake?

Yes, you absolutely can. I make this cake and freeze half of the cake cut into slices, then layer it with baking parchment in a freezer-proof container. The baking parchment stops the slices of sticky cake from sticking together. I can then take out as many slices as I need and thaw them on a cooling rack covered with a clean tea towel.

Vegetarian

This cake is suitable for a vegetarian diet.

Dairy Free

It is possible to use dairy free vegan condensed milk made with coconut milk and a full fat vegetable spread to replace the butter. I have not tested the recipe with these ingredients but they are recognised equivalents so I see no reason why they would not work. There may be some difference in taste.

Gluten Free

This cake contains wheat flour and the recipe has not been tested with GF flour. You can find a Gluten Free Fruit Cake at Gluten Free Alchemist.

For more information regarding any dietary information provided on this website, please refer to myNutritional Disclaimer.

How should I serve Condensed Milk Sticky Date Cake?

Serve the cake cut into wedges or slice across the cake and cut into flat slices. This is an everyday cut-and-come-again cake so I serve it as a snack with tea or coffee. It makes a really good cake to add to a lunch box or to include in a picnic. It’s also a great cake for family gatherings and would make a good Christmas cake too.

My mother always baked a fruit cake and gingerbread to take on self-catering holidays (vacations) and I continued the tradition with my family. Condensed Milk Sticky Date Cake is perfect as it will travel well wrapped in foil and keep well in an air-tight container.

More Fruit Cake Recipes

Irish Porter Cake is another easy boiled fruit cake, this time made with Irish Porter or Stout. It is one of those cakes that just gets better and better, the longer you can bear to keep it.

Mary’s Tea Time Cake is a simple recipe that makes a tea time cake that is packed full of fruit and is absolutely delicious with a cup of tea.

Paul Hollywood’s Christmas Cake is a rich fruit cake recipe made with dried fruits and nuts. It is simple to make and packed full of traditional Christmas flavours.

More Condensed Milk Recipes

• Marble Fudge – The Baking Explorer
• Red Velvet Cookies – Crumbs & Corkscrews
• Raspberry Mascarpone Sponge Pudding – Curly’s Cooking
• Black Forest Poke Cake – Feast Glorious Feast

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