Ingredients
Unsalted butter, to grease, plus 60g chopped and softened
2 cups roughly chopped pitted dried dates
325ml water
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
¾ cup caster sugar
2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup self-raising flour, sifted
Butterscotch sauce
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
300ml thickened cream
200g butter, chopped
Method
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Preheat oven to 160°C fan-forced (180°C conventional). Grease a 20cm round cake tin and line base and sides with baking paper.
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Combine dates and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then remove from heat.
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Add bicarb to pan and stir, allowing mixture to expand and foam. Set aside for 10 minutes.
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Transfer date mixture to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until a smooth paste forms.
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In a large bowl, beat chopped butter and sugar with an electric hand beater until light in colour and mixture resembles wet sand.
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Add beaten eggs to butter mixture, in 2 batches, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour.
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Add date paste and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
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Pour batter into prepared tin and smooth surface. Bake for 55 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Set aside in tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool for a further 10 minutes.
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Meanwhile, to make butterscotch sauce, combine ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, then bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Serve warm pudding on a plate with a drizzle of butterscotch sauce, then serve remaining sauce on the side to add as desired.