Owner Dave Schultz,
Saucer’s Café
This dessert equals love at first bite—the moist, spongy cake readily absorbs a rich, sticky lava flow of toffee sauce.
Ingredients
Date Sponge Cake
225 g pitted dates
1 Tbsp 1/2 cup brewed espresso
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup hot water
1/3 cup salted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Caramel Sauce
1/2 cup salted butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
big pinch sea salt
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
Method
Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Butter 12 standard muffin tins.
3. In bowl of a food processor, add dates, 1 Tbsp espresso, baking soda and vanilla. Pulse until mixture forms a smooth paste.
4. Pour the rest of the espresso and hot water in and pulse until combined. Set aside.
5. Using a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat on medium speed until combined.
6. In a separate bowl, sift flour with baking powder and salt. Whisk together.
7. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, folding in gently. Do not over mix.
8. Add date mixture and gently fold in to incorporate.
9. Pour into prepared muffin tins. Bake for around 15 mins, or until puddings spring back lightly when touched.
10. Allow to cool slightly in pan, invert and remove to rack to cool completely.
11. Wrap in plastic wrap until ready to serve.
Caramel Sauce
1. In a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter.
2. Add brown sugar and salt
and stir to dissolve.
3. Bring mixture to boil and cook for around 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
4. Add cream and vanilla and stir gently. Set aside to cool.
5. This can be made several days ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.
Assembly
1. Place one cake per plate and pour warm sauce over. Serve immediately with extra sauce
on table for those who want.
Yield 12 servings