Method

Heat an oven to 180°c fan.

Use a loose bottom or spring-form tin, grease around the inside with butter & place a disc of greaseproof paper at the bottom also greased with butter.

Add dates, bicarb of soda, camp coffee & water into a food processor or use a hand/stick blender & blitz into a paste.

Make the batter by adding butter & light brown sugar into a bowl, whisk the mixture into a smooth cream using an electric whisk, then add 1 egg & a tbsp full of flour & beat in, repeat this process until all the egg is in the mixture then sieve in the rest of the remaining flour & fold in with a silicon spatula.

Next fold in the date mixture into the batter, then tip mixture into the baking tin & bake for 1 hour & 20 mins, check if cooked after an hour by pushing a wooden skewer in the middle, if it comes out clean its done.

To make the toffee sauce add butter & sugar to a saucepan, place pan on a low heat & melt the butter & sugar mixture until the sugar has dissolved, then add cream, bring to a simmer for 2 mins.

Plate up the sponge pudding & pour over toffee sauce over the top.