Ingredients
- 1 cup (185 g) chopped, pitted dates
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 90 g butter, softened
- ½ cup (115 g) firmly packed soft brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1½ cups (185 g) self-raising flour
Sauce
- 1 cup (230 g) firmly packed soft brown sugar
- 1 cup (250 ml) cream
- 90 g butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
Method
1. Preheat the oven to moderate 180°C (350°F/ Gas 4). Brush a deep 18 cm square cake tin with melted butter and line the base with baking paper.
2. Put the dates and bicarbonate of soda in a medium heatproof bowl and add 1 cup (250 ml) boiling water. Stir and leave for 15 minutes.
3. Using electric beaters, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and creamy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Fold in half of the sifted flour, then half of the date mixture. Stir in the remaining flour and the remaining dates, mixing until well combined.
4. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the pudding. Leave the pudding in the tin to cool for 10 minutes before turning out.
5. To make the sauce, put the sugar, cream, butter and vanilla essence in a small pan and bring to the boil, stirring. Simmer the sauce over low heat for 5 minutes. Pour over the pudding and serve with whipped cream.
