Place the pitted and chopped dates in a bowl and pour 250 ml of boiling water over them. Let stand for 5 minutes to soften.

Stir in 1 tsp of baking soda into the date mixture until combined.

In a mixing bowl, cream together 100 g softened unsalted butter and 150 g brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by 1 tsp vanilla extract, mixing until combined.

Gently fold in 200 g all-purpose flour until just combined, being careful not to overmix.

Stir the softened date mixture into the batter until evenly distributed.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Pour the batter into a greased 9-inch round cake pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

While the pudding bakes, combine 200 g brown sugar, 100 g unsalted butter, and 200 ml double cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until melted and smooth to form the toffee sauce.