Sticky Date Cake with Butterscotch Sauce

So apparently there are people out there who have never had sticky date  pudding.

"What sort of deprived childhood did you suffer through to not ever have had sticky date pudding?!?!?!" I yelled at Stephen. In front of his mum.

Oops.

Despite my chronic foot-in-mouth disease, Stephen's mum graciously deigned to try this totally awesome sticky date cake, smothered in a sexy butterscotch sauce. It's thick and luscious, and gorgeous when served warm. All in all, not a bad specimen to have as your first sticky date experience.

Sticky Date Cake with Butterscotch Sauce
*Adapted from Bill Granger's Best of Bill

INGREDIENTS

300g medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1 tsp bicarb soda
70g diced unsalted butter
170g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 lightly beaten eggs
185g self-raising flour, sifted
185g soft brown sugar
200mL cream
150g unsalted butter, extra

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius, and grease and line the base of a 20 cm spring-form cake tin. Put the dates in a saucepan with 250mL of water and cook, stirring occasionally for 5-6 minutes until the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and stir in the bicarb and 70g of butter; set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

2. Transfer dates to a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, vanilla and eggs and stir well. Fold in the sifted flour until combined, then pour into the prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes (check if it's cooked with a skewer inserted in the middle). Leave in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out and cool on a wire rack.

3. For the butterscotch sauce, heat the sugar, cream and extra butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook over a low heat for 3 minutes, then pour over the sticky date cake to serve.

Comments

[Tina @ bitemeshowme]

I love me a good sticky date pudding. I love the texture of it, and overloaded with butterscotch sauce! Mmmmm. Especially love it when it's fresh and come straight from the oven!

[yummychunklet]

I have never tried this pudding, but now I'm excited to try it!

[Hotly Spiced]

That is actually, quite unbelievable to not have ever had sticky date pudding. Even if not made by his mother, it's on so many restaurant menus. Your cake dripping in butterscotch sauce looks so incredible. I do hope they both loved it xx

[Winston]

Oh man. You really hit the right spot with this recipe. I have an affinity for warm desserts and SDPs is one of my top faves. I like that you made it into an entire cake too lol. Butterscotch makes my heart sing. Happy baking, Jas!

[Alana]

Sticky date it the bomb, though my earliest memory is eating it from a frozen Sarah Lee box... ! Your version looks ten times better. SUPER SEXY.

[Dolly]

i love butterscotch... mmhhhhh

combined with sticky date... it must be heaven.. must be served with good quality v icecream tho!

[Chopinand @ ChopinandMysaucepan]

Dear Jasmyne,

I don't have a sweet tooth but I think I can make an exception for a sticky date cake or pudding.

[Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella]

LOL at asking Stephen about his deprived childhood in front of his mum no less! :D

[joanne]

Errr...ummm...I've actually never had sticky date pudding either! Oops! need to get on that and make this cake!

[Jenny @ Ichigo Shortcake]

The cake looks so rich and delicious :D I've only ever had sticky date pudding, not cake..so this is quite interesting indeed. :)

[Tina@foodboozeshoes]

Definitely a winter fave but I always feel so guilty when I make butterscotch sauce and I know exactly what pure naughtiness goes into it... :/

[Kathy]

Sorry…I’ve never heard of sticky date cake with butterscotch sauce….but it certainly looks delicious! Very nice!

[Angie@Angie's Recipes]

mmm..the date cake looks heavenly with drizzled butterscotch sauce.

[Jesica @ Pencil Kitchen]

Sticky date cake/pudding has long been on my list. This is lovely!

[Roxy]

I grew up with cozonac, not sticky date pudding!!