For the Cake
6 oz pitted dates, roughly chopped
2/3 cup boiling water
6 tbsp butter
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
2 tbsp molasses
1 ¼ cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk
For the Toffee Sauce
½ cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup brown sugar
1 ¼ cup heavy cream
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tbsp molasses
Glug of bourbon, scotch, dark rum (really, any brown liquor you like)
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Preheat oven to 325° F. Generously butter an 8×8 baking dish.
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Put dates and boiling water in a bowl and set aside.
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Meanwhile, cream six tablespoons butter and ¾ cup brown sugar until light and fluffy. Then beat in eggs one at a time, followed by the molasses.
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In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
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Fold in the 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture, then 1/3 of the milk. Repeat until all the flour and milk are gone.
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Use a fork to mash the soaked dates into a pulp and stir in vanilla. Add the dates with their liquid to the batter and stir to combine.
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Bake in prepared dish for 50 minutes, or until the cake has risen and the center is firm to the touch.
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While the cake is baking, make the toffee sauce. Melt ½ cup butter in a medium heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown 1 cup brown sugar, 1 ½ tsp salt, and half of the cream. Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is bubbling, stir in the molasses and continue cooking until the mixture has a rich golden color and smells like caramel (3-4 minutes). Take the pan off the heat and stir in a glug of your liquor of choice and the rest of the cream. Keep warm.
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Once the cake has finished baking, remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes or so. Skewer the cake all over with a toothpick, then pour half of the toffee sauce over top of the cake. Allow it to sit for a few minutes to absorb the sauce. Serve while still warm with the remaining sauce (I like to put it in a little pitcher on the side so that people can add as much or as little as they’d like) and vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
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