Sticky Date Cake
Posted by: Mary Ellen Fri, 27 Feb 2004, at 5:39 p.m.
 
8-9 servings

Wet date mix
2/3 cup Deglet Noor dates, chopped
1 1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions: Bring dates and water to a boil. Turn off heat; add baking soda and cinnamon. Cool to room temperature.

Cake batter
4 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions: Cream butter and sugar in mixer with paddle. Add eggs; beat to mix. Add vanilla.

Sift flour and baking powder together; add to batter alternately with the wet date mix.

Pour batter into sprayed pans or molds.

Fill molds halfway as batter doubles in volume. Bake at 350 degrees 15-20 minutes until center of cake is firm. Let cake rest 15 minutes, then serve with toffee sauce.

Toffee Sauce
4 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks butter
2 vanilla beans
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons rum
1/4 cup molasses

Instructions: Stir brown sugar butter and vanilla beans to a smooth paste over medium heat. Cook for 3 minutes. Add cream, rum, molasses; cook for 5 minutes at a medium simmer. Remove vanilla beans. Pour hot sauce over freshly baked cake.