Makes one 8-inch cake
This old British dessert is essentially a moist, date-studded cake with a delectably sweet toffee sauce poured over it.
CAKE
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| Butter (for the pan) | |
| 6 | ounces pitted dates, finely chopped (about 1¼ cups) |
| 1 | cup boiling water |
| 1 | teaspoon baking soda |
| 1¼ | cups flour |
| 1 | teaspoon baking powder |
| ½ | teaspoon salt |
| 4 | tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature |
| ½ | cup granulated sugar |
| ¼ | cup packed dark brown sugar |
| 2 | eggs |
| 1 | teaspoon vanilla extract |
1. Set the oven at 350 degrees.
Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.
2. In a small bowl, combine the dates and boiling water; set aside
for 10 minutes. Stir in the baking
soda.
3. In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. In an electric mixer, beat the
butter and granulated and brown sugars for 2 minutes or until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, then the vanilla. With the mixer set on its lowest speed, blend in the flour mixture and then the date mixture, beating just until incorporated. Pour the
batter into the pan.
5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or
until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool to room
temperature. Run a knife around
the edge of the cake to loosen it from
the pan. Invert the cake onto a cake plate.
SAUCE
| 1½ | cups lightly packed dark brown sugar |
| ¾ | cup heavy cream |
| 1 | tablespoon unsalted butter |
| ¼ | teaspoon salt |
1. In a saucepan, combine the sugar and cream. Bring to a boil, lower
the heat to medium, and simmer, whisking occasionally, for 3 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and salt.
3. Pour about half the sauce over the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Serve the remaining sauce in a
pitcher. Adapted from Kate Henry and Molly Hanson