Prepare your baking dish by lightly buttering it. I use a 12-inch x 7-inch dish (2.5 inches deep), but a 9-inch square dish will also work.
Add the dates and water to a bowl. Leave to soak for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, use a fork to squish the dates (don’t drain).
150 g (approx ⅔ cup) Medjool dates, 150 ml (½ cup + 2 tbsp) boiling water
Preheat the oven to 170C/325F (fan).
Beat together the butter and sugar until creamy, then mix in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla extract and treacle.
90 g (6 tbsp) unsalted butter, 120 g (⅔ cup) soft brown sugar, 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tbsp black treacle
Add half the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and half the milk. Stir gently to combine, then add in the remaining flour and milk. Stir again until just combined.
190 g (1.5 cups + 1 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1 pinch salt, 120 ml (½ cup) full-fat milk
Add the mushed-up date mixture (including the liquid). Stir, then spoon into the prepared baking dish.
Cook in the oven for 25-35 minutes until firm on top.
About 10 minutes before the cake is ready, make the toffee sauce. Place the sugar and butter in a medium saucepan with half the cream.
175 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) light muscovado sugar, 60 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, 240 ml (1 cup) double (heavy) cream
Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring all the time, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Stir in the black treacle, turn up the heat slightly and let the mixture bubble for 2-3 mins until it turns to a light-brown toffee colour. Stir it occasionally to make sure it doesn’t burn.
1 tbsp black treacle
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the rest of the cream. Put to one side.
Take the sponge out of the oven and pour half of the toffee sauce over the sponge.
Serve with the remaining toffee sauce.
Notes
Can I make it ahead?Yes, you can make the whole dessert ahead, then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to two days. You can store the remaining sauce, covered, in the fridge too.Reheat in portions, uncovered, in the microwave, until piping hot. It should take about 30-45 seconds per piece.Reheat the remaining sauce in a pan, until piping hot.Can I freeze it?Yes, this dessert freezes well.Freeze, covered, in individual portions, Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as per the instructions above.The sauce can also be covered and frozen, then defrosted and reheated in a pan until piping hot.Ingredient swaps
Swap the dates for raisins
Add a splash of rum to the water when soaking the dates (or raisins) for a boozy addition.
Add a couple of tablespoons of chopped roasted hazelnuts to the cake mixture for a nutty flavour.
DatesI use Medjool dates, but any juicy dates will be fine. Just remember to remove the stone before you chop them.TreacleThis is a dark, sticky syrup with flavours or molasses. It's a key ingredient to sticky toffee pudding, so I wouldn't recommend replacing it with anything else.Nutritional Information is per serving (this recipe serves 8).