Instant Pot Sticky Toffee Pudding

Ingredients:

Cake:
5 ounces dates, pitted and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
9 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus 1 tablespoon for the pan
1/2 cup almond flour, plus more for the pan
3/4 cup oat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature

Sauce:
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

For the cake: Add the dates and 3/4 cup water to a 6-quart Instant Pot®. Follow the manufacturer’s guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.

After the pressure cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer’s guide for quick release and wait until the quick release cycle is complete. Be careful of any remaining steam and unlock and remove the lid. Transfer to a small bowl and use the tines of a fork to smash the dates and cooking liquid into a paste. Chill until cool, 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, thoroughly butter a 7-inch (6 cup) Bundt pan, making sure to get into all the curved or ridged places; dust the pan with almond flour (do this even if your pan has a nonstick coating).

Whisk together the oat flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, clove and salt in a medium bowl until completely combined.

Beat the butter with an electric mixer on high speed, occasionally scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat on low speed until incorporated, then increase to high speed and beat, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl once, until light and airy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture. Beat, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl, until completely combined. Add the dates and beat on low speed until evenly distributed. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan firmly a few times on the counter to force the batter into the edges of the pan.

Place two 18-inch pieces of twine criss-crossing one another on a clean work surface. Place the cake pan over the twine where they cross. Take the two ends of one piece of twine and tie them into a tight knot over the cake pan. Repeat with the remaining twine so that you have two twine handles crossing one another at the top of the cake pan, to support and lift it.

Set a rack inside the pot and add 2 cups water. Using the twine handles, place the cake pan inside the pot. Follow the manufacturer’s guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.

Lift the cake out of the pot and transfer to a wire rack. Let the cake cool in the pan, about 15 minutes. Cut the twine, invert the cake on a serving plate and carefully remove the pan.

For the sauce: Clean the pot and place back in the base. Set to saute on high, then add the sugar, cream, butter, vanilla and salt to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar has melted and the sauce is thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Brush half of the sauce over the warm cake to glaze. Let cool, about 1 hour. Serve the cake with the remaining sauce.