A rich, moist cake made with softened dates and drizzled with a decadent homemade toffee sauce. Perfect for holiday dinners or cozy nights in.

For the Cake:

12 ounces (2 ¼ cups) dried dates, pitted and chopped

2 ¼ cups boiling water

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 large eggs

¼ teaspoon salt

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

For the Toffee Sauce:

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup + 2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

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Soak the Dates: Place chopped dates in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over them and stir in baking soda. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes.
Preheat Oven: Preheat to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
Blend Dates: Blend the date mixture until smooth using a blender or food processor.
Mix Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar. Add eggs and salt, then stir in flour.
Add Dates: Fold in the blended date mixture until well combined.
Bake: Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Make Sauce: In a saucepan, combine butter, cream, brown sugar, and vanilla. Simmer for 10 minutes, whisking, until slightly thickened.
Serve: Cut cake into squares and drizzle with warm toffee sauce. Optional: serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.