I never knew the fruit called ‘Date’ until I moved to Australia. The fruit was not known in Japan. My very first experience to taste the fruit was Sara Lee’s ‘Frozen Sticky Date Pudding’. I liked the flavour but I thought it was overwhelmingly sweet.
I have tried some recipes to make the pudding by myself, and every recipe freaked me out because of the amount of sugar! However, I have realised that 1 cup Brown Sugar is necessary for this dessert. Try ‘My Super Easy Caramel Sauce’ which will make the pudding next level.


Cake Tin

20 to 22cm Round Tin OR 20cm Square Tin

Ingredients

2 cups (about 250g) Dried Pitted Dates
1 teaspoon Bi-carb Soda
1 & 1/2 cups Boiling Water
100g Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar *lightly packed
2 Eggs *room temperature
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 & 1/2 cups Self-Raising Flour
Cream OR/AND Caramel Sauce to serve

Method
  1. First you need to soften the Dates. Chop up Dates finely and place in a heat-proof bowl. Carefully pour boiling water over the chopped dates, and add B.C. Soda and stir. Set aside while you are preparing other ingredients.
  2. Preheat oven to 170°C. Line the base and side(s) of a cake tin with baking paper.
  3. Using an electric mixer or a whisk, beat Butter, Brown Sugar and Vanilla until creamy. Add Eggs, 1 at a time, beating well. Fold in the date mixture (DO NOT drain) and Self Raising Flour and mix well to combine.
  4. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until cooked through. Let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack.
  5. Serve with Cream OR/AND Caramel Sauce.