Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups (225g) Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup (240ml) boiling water
  • 0.5 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 0.75 cup (150g) brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1.75 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp fine sea salt
  • 0.5 cup (115g) unsalted butter (for sauce)
  • 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar (for sauce)
  • 0.75 cup (180ml) heavy cream
  • 0.5 tsp sea salt (for sauce)

Instructions:

  1. Place the chopped dates and baking soda in a heat-proof bowl. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over them and let sit for 10-15 minutes until the dates soften into a thick paste.
  2. In a separate bowl, cream the 0.5 cup of softened butter and 0.75 cup of brown sugar until the mixture looks pale and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
  4. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until just a few streaks of flour remain.
  6. Stir in the date and water mixture (including the liquid) until the batter is a uniform, dark brown.
  7. Pour into your greased 9 inch pan and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 40-45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean and the top springs back.
  8. While the cake bakes, simmer the sauce ingredients in a pan for 5 minutes until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.
  9. Pour the warm caramel sauce over the cake slices before serving.