Cartmel Sticky Figgy Pudding Cake (Costco) Review
Author’s note: Not a paid review. These are my own sticky opinions. I have no affiliation with either Costco or Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding Company.
Buy it. But don’t bake it.
I spied this holiday Sticky Figgy Pudding Cake at my local Costco, and I knew I had to try it. I’m already huge fan of dark fruitcakes and gingerbread-spiced desserts, and the last “sticky-toffee” pudding I tried was delightful.
This classic British dessert is imported from the United Kingdom, and made by Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding Company in Cumbria. I don’t usually say this, but you should visit their website (on your desktop computer) — I haven’t seen such a fun and whimsical one in a while. Do it. You know you want to.
The twin-pack pans
This is a twin-pack of puddings, so the box contains two aluminum pans of 17.6 ounces each. The pans aren’t sealed, except for a foil-lined cardboard flap crimped to the top. The box wasn’t wrapped or sealed, either. Kinda surprising, but I guess this works, because mine seemed plenty fresh.
There’s a thick layer of dense “toffee” (like soft caramel) on top of each pan, while the “cake” is hidden underneath.
How to Cook the Sticky Figgy Pudding Cake
When given the choice between microwave and oven, I always choose oven. I was pleased to see that Cartmel’s package also recommended an oven preparation. The box says to bake the trays (with the lid removed) at 212 F for 15-20 minutes. This did not seem like a hot enough temperature (or adequate time) to actually warm the cake thoroughly. But I followed the instructions anyway.
After 20 minutes, the toffee had melted nicely on top, but when I served it, the cake was still cool, stiff, and stale-tasting inside. I briefly considered that they may have forgotten to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit, but 212 Celsius is 413.6 Fahrenheit, so that doesn’t seem right, either. Hmm.
I popped my slice into the microwave for another 20 seconds, which came out perfect. It was steaming and moist, and the toffee had soaked into the cake more thoroughly.
Based on this, I would say microwaving is actually at least as good as baking in the oven. But, if you DO oven bake it, it will need higher heat and/or longer cook time. For sure.
If you’re a lonely little hermit (like I am), then microwaving one serving at a time is always going to make sense. I felt silly refrigerating the whole pan (minus one serving) after I’d just baked the entire thing. Doh.
For a family gathering, baking the whole loaf makes sense, of course.
Freezing is forbidden (by the label)
The label specifically says not to freeze this. So, don’t. I guess? That’s too bad, though, because I would love to save the second pan to eat later in the year.
Keep reading for the shelf-life of this item.
Also, P.S. save the foil-lined cardboard lid to seal up leftovers in the pan!
What does it taste like?
The texture is soft, and (of course) very, very moist. But not soggy. I’m normally not a huge ran of raisins, but I loved these tangy, soft raisin blobs — the golden raisins have a pleasant tartness that I prefer over dark raisins. There are chewy fragments of citrus peel that lend a perky brightness.
And, of course, figs. It is “figgy pudding,” after all. There are some lumps of chewy-soft fig fragments, but mostly the figs are “deconstructed” into the batter. There are lots of wonderfully crunchy fig seeds that are dispersed throughout the moist pudding.
Despite the dark, molasses-like flavor, there is no actual molasses in this pudding. Instead, this cake is partially sweetened with dates. I don’t typically eat dates by themselves, but I do enjoy them (very much!) in recipes. I especially enjoy date-sugar taste — so much more multi-faceted than white sugar!
In Cartmel’s Figgy Pudding, the dates are not distinguishable from the rest of the cake; they appear to be blended into the pudding. This is what I prefer. The dates impart a “deep” flavor. It’s earthy and complex. Despite being sugary, it has a wholesome, satisfying richness. More about the ingredients later.
The sum is more than the parts
There is cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and orange in this pudding. But I don’t taste any of these individually. Rather, it is all blended into a fiercely delicious taste that is bigger than the parts. I also can’t discern the cocoa powder separately, although the ingredients label promises me it is present.
Notably absent: nuts and alcohol. There is no booze in this pudding. BYOB.
The toffee is outstanding. When cold, it tastes like smooth icing, but after heating it melts to a syrupy consistency. The syrup soaks into the cake, making it even softer and more flavorful. It’s both buttery and caramelly at the same time. It’s just the right balance of salty and sweet.
The label describes is as “dribbly.” I like that.
However, I did find that as I worked towards the center of the “loaf,” there wasn’t enough toffee to soak the cake properly. The center slices ended up being mostly just “cake.” They were (relatively) dry, compared to the rest of the pudding. Not gooey enough.
This made me sad. I think adding 25-30% more toffee on top would fix this. Maybe.
What is Figgy Pudding?
Figgy Pudding is a traditional British holiday dessert filled with fruit and spices, and featuring a dense, soft texture. The puddings are often steamed before serving, rather than baked. They are also sometimes soaked in brandy and set on fire at the table (dinner AND a show!), or topped with decadent brandy-butter. Someday, I would like to try that!
Ingredients in Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding
Here are the ingredients from the label:
- Sugar
- Butter (Cream, Salt)
- Enriched Self-Raising Flour (Wheat Flour, Leavening [Calcium Carbonate, Baking Soda, Monocalcium Phosphate], Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid)
- Cream
- Eggs
- Dried Figs
- Dried Dates
- Dried Golden Raisins (Golden Raisins, Sunflower Oil [Anti-Sticking Agent]
- Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali)
- Orange Zest
- Leavening (Baking Soda)
- Cinnamon Powder
- Nutmeg
- Ginger Powder
- Orange Oil
I am impressed by the ingredients. Butter and cream, oh my! Surprisingly natural ingredients. Real spices and orange oil. Real orange zest! Figs, dates, and golden raisins. No weird stuff. This is fantastic. Take my money!
Nutrition Facts in Sticky Figgy Pudding from Costco
A serving is 1/2 cup and contains 230 calories. There are 11 grams of fat and 2 grams of protein, plus a moderate 24 grams of sugar, of which 18 grams are “added sugar.” There’s also 1 gram of fiber and 8% of your daily value of sodium. Enjoyably, a serving also includes 4% each of your daily calcium, potassium, and iron.
Price and Servings
Each tray serves 8 people. So, 16 servings per the entire box. The 2.2 pound twin pack cost $12.99 at my local Costco, which means each serving is a frugal 81 cents.
Now, I personally only got about 6 servings per tray, which would be 12 servings per box. That’s still only $1.08 per serving, however.
Per ounce, this dessert costs about 37 cents.
Shelf Life
Mine had a relatively short expiration of about 2 months from the date of purchase. Still, that’s plenty of time to eat it, especially since it is a holiday food! Again, the package says not to freeze this. So, eat up!
If you’re trying to locate this in the store, at my local Costco this is available in the refrigerated section, with the other packaged novelty foods.
Dramatic Conclusion
I don’t know why holiday food is so much better than the food available the other 10 months of the year. If I could have this Sticky Figgy Pudding year-round, I totally would. The flavor and texture is delightful. It has quality ingredients, which even I found irreproachable. And, it is an excellent price.
I would buy this again. Absolutely. My waistline, however, is glad this is only available certain times of the year, or else we would be in trouble!
The End.
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