Sticky Date Pudding

A classic British dessert, sticky date pudding is a moist sponge cake made with finely chopped dates, covered in a rich toffee sauce.

Ingredients - Serves 6

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a baking dish.
In a bowl, combine the dates, baking soda, and boiling water. Let stand for 15 minutes.
In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
Fold in the flour and the date mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
While the pudding is baking, make the toffee sauce. Combine the brown sugar and cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce has thickened.
Pour the toffee sauce over the warm pudding. Serve immediately.