This is an old British dessert, or “pudding” as they say, and it is really quite amazingly delicious. It is basically a rich buttery date filled cake smothered in warm caramel or toffee sauce. It’s a terrific ending to a traditional winter or holiday meal, and then if you are lucky enough to have leftovers, it is a decadent midnight snack.
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Ingredients
- 4 cups whipping cream
- 2 cups dark brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups pitted dates chopped
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Make toffee sauce:Bring cream, brown sugar and butter to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer sauce until reduced to 3 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally. This might take abut ten minutes., Set aside. (This can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, before using.)
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup Bundt or tube pan.
- Whisk flour and baking powder in medium bowl to blend; set aside.
- Combine the water, dates and baking soda in medium saucepan and bring to boil. Remove from heat; cool completely.
- With electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add in vanilla and half of flour mixture, then date mixture. Blend in remaining flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake until cake rises and is golden on top, about 45 minutes. Pour 3/4 cup caramel sauce over cake; continue baking until tester inserted near center of cake comes out with no crumbs (only caramel sauce) attached, about 15 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert cake onto platter.
- This can be prepared 1 day ahead. Once it is cool, wrap and store at room temperature. Cover remaining caramel sauce and refrigerate. Rewarm sauce over medium-low heat.