Sticky Date Cake with Toffee Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1(10oz.)container pitted dates, snipped into small pieces(2 cups)
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 cup(1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
• Toffee Sauce
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup half-and-half
• 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease 13x9x2-in. baking pan. with waxed paper, line bottom of pan; grease paper. In 3-qt. saucepan, bring the water and dates to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda. Let cool 20 minutes.

In large bowl, with electric mixer, beat butter until fluffy. Add sugar; beat 1 minute(mixture will resemble wet sand). Beat in eggs, 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and baking powder. On low speed, alternately beat in flour(in fourths) and date mixture(in thirds); batter will be very thick. Spread in prepared pan.

Bake 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center tests clean and top of cake is firm to the touch. Cool in pan on wire rack. Invert cake onto rack; remove paper; invert cake again.

Sauce: In saucepan, combine sugar, butter, half-and-half and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Without stirring again, boil 1 minute. Add vanilla; remove from heat.

To serve, cut cake into 12 pieces. Transfer to dessert plates; top each with 2 Tbsp. sauce.

Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: McCall's: Oct.'96
Submitted By: Linda Wilson
lwilson@gatecom.com
Sticky Date Cake with Toffee Sauce