1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Boil the dates in the water. Stir in the baking soda and cover with lid. Set aside for 5 minutes.

3. Put the mixture into a food processor and blend. Set aside.

4. Cream butter and sugar, then add eggs and flour. Mix until combined and stir in the date purée.

5. Pour mixture into greased moulds.

6. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

7. To make the butterscotch sauce, stir all the ingredients in a pot over low heat until the sauce is smooth and has thickened slightly.

8. With a fork poke holes in the base of the warm cake and cover with the sauce. Allow to soak.

9. Top with more sauce and serve with vanilla ice cream and dates rolled in sugar.

Recipe courtesy: Chef Gabriel Kurz and team, Jumeirah Al Qasr, Dubai

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