Aloha Friday: Recipe for Always-A-Winner Sticky Date Pudding-Cake (with a gluten-free option)

This recipe comes from a gem of a community cookbook compiled by a primary school in Australia to commemorate its 40th anniversary. Sticky date pudding, also called sticky toffee pudding, a traditional English dish, is easy to make and delicious. The English call this a "pudding," while Americans would say it's a "cake." It's virtually unknown in Hawaii. I think I'm the only one who makes it in the islands.

Fair warning: it's on the sweet side. If you love dates, this is the dessert for you. Don't care for sweet cakes? Then pass on this oh so sweet and yummy and moist pudding-cake.

I typically skip the extra step of making the toffee topping and it's delicious as more of a date bar-cake that way.

Sticky Date Pudding (with a gluten-free option)

(Recipe submitted by Cath Garratt (Mother of Isabella Gore (1McD) in Harmony Feast File produced by Hughes Primary School, Canberra, Australia)

Ingredients

Pudding-Cake
175 grams dates (4/10ths of a pound)
1/2 teaspoon bi-carb soda (baking soda)
3/4 cup boiling water
125 grams butter (just under 3/10ths of a pound)
125 grams sugar (just under 3/10ths of a pound)
2 eggs
125 g self-rising flour (just under 3/10ths of a pound)
[or 140 g gluten free self-rising flour ( (just over 3/10ths of a pound)]

Sauce
300 g brown sugar (7/10ths of a pound)
50 g butter (little over 1/10th of a pound)
1 cup cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Method

Chop dates. Sprinkle with bi-carb soda/baking soda. Pour on boiling water and set aside. Cream butter with sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat until light and fluffy. Stir in self-rising flour (or 140 grams gluten-free self-rising flour). Add soaked dates and liquid. Bake in a 20 cm (8 inch) greased, lined tin/pan at 170 degrees Centigrade [340 degrees Fahrenheit] for 30 minutes.

Sauce

In a small saucepan, melt brown sugar, butter, cream and vanilla. Stir over moderate heat until sugar is dissolved and bring to boil. Let it set and pour over cut slices as they are served. Yummy with whipped cream.

Enjoy.