Sticky Date Cake with Butterscotch Sauce

• Preparation time: 20 minutes
• Cooking time: 55 minutes (plus standing time)

Ingredients:

• 3 3/4 cups (635g) dried pitted dates
• 3 cups (750ml) hot water
• 2 tsps bicarbonate of soda
• 185g butter, chopped
• 2 1/4 cups (500g) firmly packed brown sugar
• 6 eggs
• 3 cups (450g) self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup (60g) coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup (60g) coarsely chopped pecans

Butterscotch Sauce

• 2 cups (440g) firmly packed brown sugar
• 500ml thickened cream
• 250g butter, chopped

Method:

1. Preheat oven to moderate. Grease 26cm x 36cm baking dish, double-line base and long sides with baking paper, bringing paper 5cm above edges of dish.

2. Combine dates and the water in medium saucepan; bring to a boil; remove from heat; stir in soda. Stand 5 minutes. Blend or process date mixture until smooth.

3. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until combined between each addition. Stir in date mixture and flour; spread mixture into prepared dish; sprinkle with nuts. Bake, uncovered, in moderate oven about 50 minutes. Stand cake in dish 10 minutes; turn onto wire rack; turn cake top-side up.

4. Meanwhile, make butterscotch sauce.

5. Brush surface of hot cake with 1/3 cup of the hot butterscotch sauce. Serve with remaining sauce.

Butterscotch Sauce

Stir ingredients in medium saucepan over heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes.

• Serves 20
• Per serving: 33.1g fat; 2368kJ (566 cal)

Tips:

Cake is suitable to freeze. To defrost, wrap in foil and reheat in moderately slow oven for 20 minutes. Sauce is suitable to microwave.