• Roughly chop the dates and place them in a saucepan. Add enough water until it is just covering the dates. Bring the pan to a boil. Once at a boil, remove the pan from the heat and add in the bicarb of soda. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
• Mix together the butter and sugar until creamy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition. Add the vanilla essence.
• Sift the flour and then fold the flour and date mixture through the egg mixture, being careful not to overmix.
• Pour into a well greased bundt tin and bake for 50 mins at 170 °C

Toffee Sauce

• Place all ingredients in a pan over low heat. Heat until combined and then allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
• Drizzle over the top of slices of pudding to serve.