- 4
Ingredients
- Sponge
- 150 * 150 g/5 oz pitted dates, diced
- 250 * 250 ml/1 cup hot but not boiling water
- 1 * 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 60 * 60 g/2 oz soft butter
- 100 * 100 g/3 + 1/2 oz/1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 * 2 small pinches salt
- 2 * 2 large or extra large eggs
- 175 * 175 g/6 oz/1 + 1/2 cups self rising flour
- Coffee-Toffee Sauce
- 125 * 125 g/4 oz/3/4 cup muscovado (dark brown) sugar
- 250 * 250 ml/8 oz/1 cup granulated sugar
- 125 * 125 ml/4 fl oz/1/2 cup strong coffee (or whiskey)
- 125 * 125 ml/4 fl oz/1/2 cup double (whipping, heavy) cream
- 2 * 2 tablespoons butter
- * tiny pinch of salt
- 1 * 1 teaspoon pure vanilla essence (extract)
Preparation
Step 1
1. Preheat oven to gas 4/180°C/ 375°F.
2. Prepare a cake pan — approximately 7 x 9 inches (10 x 17 cm) or an 8-inch (about 20-cm) square or round pan — by first buttering, then lightly flouring the inside of the tin.
Make the Sponge
1. Place dates in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot water over them. Cover and leave to sit for at least 10 minutes.
2. Cream together the soft butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy, about 5 to 7 minutes, using electric beaters or very strong wooden-spoon action.
3. Slowly add the eggs, one at a time, beating in between until they are mixed in well.
4. Using a wooden spoon, gradually add the flour and then the date mixture until it forms a thick batter.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until it is cooked through. I use a raw spaghetti strand to poke in and check for any remaining gooeyness. Remove from oven and set aside.
Make the Sauce
1. In a heavy saucepan, combine the muscovado (brown) sugar with the white sugar, coffee and cream.
2. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring gently until the sugars melt and continue cooking, adjusting the heat lower and higher as needed, for about 5 to 8 minutes. If mixture boils up, reduce heat; if it stops bubbling, raise it. Sauce should be dark and slightly thick. Don’t be tempted to sample it without cooling as the sugars are so hot they will burn your tongue.
3. Remove from heat and with a wooden spoon stir in the butter, salt and vanilla, stirring until the butter melts and the sauce is glossy. Let cool to a warm-hot temperature.
4. Using a paring knife, make slits all over the top of cake and pour about half the warm/hot sauce over it. Leave the cake to marinate in the sauce for several hours, then pour the rest of the sauce over it. To serve, cut into small pieces. Cream fraiche or lightly whipped creme Chantilly are good with this, but to be honest, it doesn’t need anything else.