Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

Cake:

Syrup:

Sauce:

Icing:

Cake:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 22.5 cm x 22.5 cm x 5 cm square cake pan. 

Pour the boiling water over the dates. Add the bicarbonate of soda and the vanilla essence. Leave to stand for 15 minutes.

Mash with a fork to a coarse puree. Set aside.

Beat the sugar, eggs and golden syrup together until creamy and light.

Beat in the melted butter. Add the dates and mix in. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.

Fold into the egg mixture with a metal spoon and mix until just combined. Spoon into the prepared pan.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Use a toothpick and poke the cake all over. Pour syrup over.

Leave to cool slightly until the syrup is absorbed.

Turn out onto a serving plate.

Syrup:
Stir the sugar and water together until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil for 3 minutes.

Sauce:
Stir butter, sugar and syrup together until sugar has dissolved. Add cream cheese and mix in.

Icing:
Beat cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla essence together until thick.

To finish:
Spread icing over cake.

Drizzle sauce over and cut into squares.

Serve slightly warmed.