DATE STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING

Ingredients

Pudding

2 cups boiling water

8 ounces (just short of 2 cups after chopping) dates, fresh or 

dried, pitted and chopped

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter, softened

2 cups caster sugar/ powdered sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

3 + 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Sauce

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter

2 + 3/4 cups brown sugar, light or dark

1 pint (2 cups) whipping cream

Whipped Cream

1 pint cup heavy cream or whipping cream

METHOD

 

1. A 1/2 hour before making cake in a medium sized bowl pour the boiling water over the chopped dates and baking soda. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
3. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and sugar until white and fluffy. Beat in eggs gradually.
4. Fold in flour and baking powder. Combine dates and all of the liquid stirring until just combined.
5. Pour batter into greased pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center.
6. About 25 minutes into the baking time make the sauce. Whisk all ingredients together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
7. When cake comes out of oven poke holes over top of cake using a fork. Pour about 1/3 of the sauce over top. Allow to cool off a bit. While still warm cut cake into squares and spoon warm sauce over top. Serve with whipped cream if desired. Store unused sauce in refrigerator, heat in a saucepan.
8. Chill a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer with the beaters for a half an hour ahead of time. Add cold whip cream to bowl and beat just until soft peaks form. (If you keep on beating you will make butter, some of the freshest tasting, most delicious butter!)

To make a Trifle: Cube the cake into 1-inch cubes. 
Layer in a trifle bowl, a large, deep glass bowl or in 
individual parfait glasses. Start with cake, drizzle 
sauce* over top, then layer with whip cream. Repeat 
until you reach the top to end with whip cream.


*Do not use boiling hot sauce, allow it to cool to 
warm as there may be a danger in cracking the 
glass.


Castor sugar is superfine sugar, which you can 
make at home by powdering normal granulated 
sugar !