Sticky Date Pudding

Ingredients

• 200g pitted dried dates, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 cup boiling water
• 60g butter, softened
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 cups self-raising flour

Butterscotch sauce

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup pure cream
• 100g butter, chopped

Ingredients

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 6cm-deep, 18cm (base) round cake pan. Line base with baking paper.

Place dates and bicarbonate of soda in a heatproof bowl. Add boiling water. Stand for 20 minutes or until tender.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Using a large metal spoon, stir in date mixture and flour. Stir to combine.

Spoon mixture into cake pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack.

Meanwhile, make butterscotch sauce: Combine sugar, cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until boiling. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2 minutes. Pour warm sauce over warm cake. Serve.