A moist and rich sponge cake made with dates, combined with the richness of buttery and gooey toffee sauce and sweetness of vanilla ice cream. A decadent and luxurious British dessert perfect for the holidays and special occasions.
Preheat oven to 350℉. Coat square pan with butter. Set aside.
Make the date paste: Place pitted dates, baking soda, and boiling water in a small mixing bowl. Let stand for about 10 minutes.
Place date mixture into a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Process until a smooth paste is formed.
Make date cake batter: Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
Add softened butter and dark brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with paddle attachment on medium speed until combined. Add one egg and beat until combined. Add second egg and beat until combined.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add date paste and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl again.
Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
Bake data cake: Bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Make toffee sauce: While the cake is baking, melt one stick of butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add dark brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Stir until smooth and glossy. Remove from heat.
Once date cake is finished baking, loosen the sides, flip onto a serving platter, and poke holes all over using a fork.
Pour half of the toffee sauce over the warm cake. Let it set.
Serve with the remaining toffee sauce and ice cream. Enjoy!