serves
4
prep
15 minutes
cook
1 hour
difficulty
Easy
serves
4
people
preparation
15
minutes
cooking
1
hour
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 160 g (1 cup) pitted dried dates
- 185 ml (¾ cup) boiling water
- 125 g unsalted butter, room temperature, diced
- 125 g (⅔ cup, lightly packed) brown sugar
- 2 tbsp golden syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 3 cm piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 225 g (1½ cups) self-raising flour, sifted
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) milk
Butterscotch sauce
- 300 ml pure cream
- 100 g (½ cup, lightly packed) brown sugar
- 115 g (⅓ cup) golden syrup
- 20 g butter, chopped
Resting time: 15 minutes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170˚C. Grease a 20 cm round cake tin and line the base and side with baking paper.
- Place the dates and boiling water in a heatproof bowl. Set aside for 15 minutes to soften. Using a stick blender, pulse the dates in the water about 8–9 times or until the dates are coarsely pureed.
- Meanwhile, place the butter, sugar, golden syrup and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the date mixture, grated ginger, flour and milk to the butter and sugar mixture and beat just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 50–60 minutes or until a skewer withdraws clean. When the cake has been baking for 40 minutes, cover the tin with foil to stop the pudding from browning too much. Stand in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, for the butterscotch sauce, place all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and stir for 5 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10–15 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
- Slice the date pudding and serve with the butterscotch sauce.
Photography by Adam Liaw.
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Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
