For the cake
200ml boiling water
100g butter, room temp
175g light brown sugar
2 eggs
225g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp treacle
200 grams chopped dates
double cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve
60 g walnuts, roughly chopped
For the sauce
100g butter
125g brown sugar
1 tbsp treacle
300ml double cream
1 tsp vanilla
60g walnuts, roughly chopped
equipment
oven safe baking dish
INSTRUCTIONS
cake
Preheat oven to 356 F
Prep a oven proof dish with butter- set aside
Place the chopped dates, baking soda & the boiling water into a bowl - set aside for about 10 minutes
In a stand mixer or electric whisk, cream the butter and treacle together. Once well mixed, add sugar & beat again.
Add the eggs one by one- mixing thoroughly between.
Turn the mixer speed down, slowly add flour and baking powder & beat until smooth.
Using the back of a fork- smash the dates slightly then pour the dates & the liquid into the batter & mix.
Pour batter into the prepared dish & bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Immediately after coming out of the oven- poke holes (using a toothpick or a fork) in the cooked sponge
Pour about 1/4 of the warm sauce over the sponge, and using an offset spatula or spoon, evenly spread it across until it’s entirely coated with the sauce
Set aside for 20-30 minutes, then serve with chopped walnuts, more sauce & ice cream.
sauce
In small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter with brown sugar & treacle - mix until everything is melted & combined
Stir in the cream, turn up the heat to medium/high & when the mixture starts bubbling - take it off the heat & set aside
