Cake Ingredients
12 Mini cake pans or 2 muffin pan (you will get anywhere between 16-24 cupcakes)
1 pound pitted dates (about 2.5 cups)
1.75 cups boiling water
2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons butter in room temperature (1.5 sticks)
1/2 cup Silan (date syrup) or maple syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar (or cane sugar with 1 teaspoon molasses)
5 medium eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Toffee Sauce Ingredients
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
1 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp spoons silan (optional)
3/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions:
Place the dates in large bowl with the boiling water and baking soda, stirring a little to break up the dates. Set aside.
combine the flour, salt and baking powder and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a food mixer until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, occasionally scraping down mixing bowl. Add the Silan or maple syrup and then the flour mixture, mix briefly to give a thick batter.
Using an immersion blender (or food processor) process the date mixture until smooth.
Next, add the warm date mixture to the dough in two batches. Scrape down the sides of bowl in between mixing.
Pour the batter evenly into the pans or muffin tins. Bake for about 15-20 minutes depending on the size of cakes. Test if they are cooked with a small knife or toothpick, it should come out clean when cakes are done.
Meanwhile, to make the sauce, combine the butter, brown sugar, heavy cream and silan, if using, in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil and then reduce to simmer gently for a minute or two until thickened and well blended.
When the cakes are done, poke little holes all over with toothpick, this will enable the sauce to be absorbed more easily. Pour the caramel sauce over cakes while both are still warm and leave to soak for about 10 minutes. You may turn the cakes out upside-down onto serving plates.
Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.