The Co-op Food Stores of New Hampshire and Vermont

added 01/08/10

Serves 8

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
2 Tbs. butter, room temperature
7 Tbs. sugar
1 egg, beaten to blend
½ cup boiling water
4 ounces pitted, dates, finely chopped and lightly floured
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cloves
pinch of salt

1-½ cups whipping cream
¾ cup (1-½ sticks) butter, room temperature
10 Tbs. firmly packed dark brown sugar
Whipped cream, if desired

Preheat oven to 375º degrees F. Butter 6 × 8-inch cake pan. Sift together flour and baking powder, ginger, cloves, and a pinch of salt. Cream 2 tablespoons butter with 7 tablespoons sugar in large bowl. Stir egg and 1/3 of flour mixture into butter mixture. Using electric mixer, beat batter 1 minute. Beat remaining flour mixture into batter.

Pour boiling water over dates in a small bowl. Blend in baking soda and vanilla.
Stir into batter. Turn into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

Combine whipping cream, ½ cup butter, and brown sugar in heavy small saucepan and bring to simmer. Cook until thickened, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.

Preheat broiler. Pour sauce over cake. Broil until bubbly. Cut into squares and serve with whipped cream (if desired).

Cooks Note: Cake and sauce can be prepared up to 1 week ahead and stored separately in refrigerator. To serve, cut cake into squares and place each in bowl. Spoon some of sauce over. Warm in microwave oven on High until sauce is bubbly, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

—The King’s Arms Pub, Devon, England