Serves: 24, Calories: 303

Ingredients

Cake:

• 250g dates.  747
• 400ml tea, black, fairly weak
• 135g light muscovado sugar.  540
• 35g dark muscovado sugar.  140
• 4 tsp (20g) golden syrup.  62
• 3 eggs.  225
• 135g unsalted butter, melted.  1014
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 1.½ tsp vanilla essence (or ¾ tsp extract).  51
• 230g self-raising flour.  836
• 1.⅓ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 pinch of salt

Toffee Sauce:

• 100g light muscovado sugar.  400
• 50g dark muscovado sugar.  200
• 30g butter.  230
• 2 tbsp (30g) golden syrup.  186
• 1 tsp vanilla essence.  34
• 1 pinch of salt
• 125ml double cream/Elmlea.   556

Buttercream:

• 130g unsalted butter, soft.  976
• 265g icing sugar.  1060
• 1 dash milk, if needed.  10

 Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4.
2. Grease and line 12x9" Pyrex roaster.
3. Cake: In smallest saucepan; Boil dates in tea. Lower heat. Simmer for 5 mins.
4. Optional: Blend dates and tea til smooth.
5. In large mixing bowl; Whisk eggs, sugars and syrup together until pale and fluffy.
6. Gradually whisk in butter.
7. Stir in dates and vanilla. Batter is runny.
8. Sift all dry ingredients into wet and fold in.
9. Pour into dish. Level.
10. Bake for 40 mins, or until skewer comes out clean.
11. Toffee: In medium saucepan; Place all ingredients except cream.
12. Stir over gentle heat until sugar dissolves.
13. Bring to rolling boil. Stir in cream off heat.
14. Prick hot baked cake all over with skewer.
15. Drizzle ⅔ toffee sauce over hot cake.
16. Cool cake completely in dish. Remove.
17. Buttercream: Whisk butter, with a fork, until creamy.
18. Sift in icing sugar. Whisk until smooth.
19. Whisk in remaining cold toffee sauce.
20. If buttercream is too stiff, whisk in milk.
21. Spread buttercream on cake.
22. Improves after 24 hrs. Lasts for 4 days in airtight container.

 Calories = 7267

• 7267 / 24 = 303
• 7267 / 20 = 363
• 7267 / 16 = 454

 Tip: Use ⅔ amounts for 2x 7.¾x5" Pyrex dishes. Bake for 35-40 mins.

 Tip: Use ⅓ amounts for one 7.¾x5" mini roaster. Bake for 35-40 mins.