Ingredients

Scale

For the Sponge Cake:

1¼ cups chopped dates, pitted
1 cup boiling water (or strong brewed black tea)
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar (light or dark)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

For the Toffee Sauce:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Optional for Serving:

Vanilla ice cream
Whipped cream
Clotted cream
Crème anglaise

Instructions

🍇 Step 1: Soak the Dates

Place chopped dates in a bowl and pour over the boiling water. Stir in the baking soda and let sit for 10–15 minutes to soften. You’ll notice the mixture becomes foamy and aromatic.

🧈 Step 2: Make the Cake Batter

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Mash the soaked dates slightly with a fork or blend them into a rough purée. Stir the date mixture into the batter.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until fully combined.

🍰 Step 3: Bake

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Pour the batter into a greased 9-inch baking dish or individual ramekins. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove and let cool slightly while you make the sauce.

🍯 Step 4: Make the Toffee Sauce

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5–7 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt.

🥄 Step 5: Assemble and Serve

While the cake is still warm, poke holes in the top using a skewer and pour over half the toffee sauce to let it soak in.

Serve slices of the warm pudding with more sauce poured over and a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.