Irish Sticky Date Pudding With Irish Whiskey Toffee Sauce

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups water (375 mL)
1 1/3 cups chopped pitted dates (325 mL)
2 teaspoons baking soda (10 mL)
1 cup butter, softened (250 mL)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (125 mL)
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla (5 mL)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (625 mL)
2 teaspoons baking powder (10 mL)
Irish Whiskey Toffee Sauce
3/4 cup butter (175 mL)
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar (300 mL)
3/4 cup whipping cream (175 mL)
1/4 cup Irish whiskey (such as Bushmills or Jameson, 50 mL)

Procedure:

1. Grease 10-cup (2.5 L) Bundt or tube pan; dust with flour. Set aside.

2. In saucepan, bring water, dates and baking soda to boil; let cool.

3. In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until light; beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Stir in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour with baking powder; stir into butter mixture alternately with date mixture, making 2 additions of dry ingredients and 1 of date mixture. Scrape into prepared pan. Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven for 45 minutes.

4. Irish Whiskey Toffee Sauce: Meanwhile, in saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in sugar until dissolved. Add cream and bring to simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in whiskey; keep warm.

5. While still in pan and using skewer or toothpick, poke holes all over cake; pour 1/3 cup (75 mL) warm sauce evenly over top. Bake until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes.

6. Invert cake onto platter. Poke holes all over; pour 1/3 cup (75 mL) more sauce over cake. (Make-ahead: Let cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap; store in airtight container at room temperature for up 2 days. Cover remaining sauce and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat to serve.).

7. To serve, cut into slices; drizzle with remaining warm sauce. Serves 12.