Bake to impress - English Toffee Cake with Caramel Sauce

A few years back I had the most amazing dessert at a restaurant, and I was determined to find the recipe for it.  After hours scouring the internet using every search engine I could think of I came up with this one.  I don't know if this is the same recipe, but it's so darn good I don't care.

Don't forget to give the cake plenty of time to cool before trying to take it out of the pan.

English Toffee Cake with Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

3/4 cup chopped pitted dates
2 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbl. cold water
1 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4 cups boiling water

7 Tbl. butter

1 cup flour

2 Tbl. cream

1 Tbl. lemon juice

1/4 cup cold butter

Directions

Mix dates, 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 tsp. baking soda. Add boiling water. Soak for 10 minutes. 

Cream 4 Tbl. butter and 3/4 cup sugar. Add egg and mix well. Add flour and 1 tsp. baking soda. Pour in date mixture. Mix until smooth. 

Pour into a floured pie dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes. 

Combine brown sugar, 3 Tbl. butter and 2 Tbl. cream. Boil for 2 minutes. Pour over baked cake. 

For the caramel sauce, cook 1 cup sugar, cold water and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium high heat. Boil until mixture caramelizes to a medium-dark amber color, about 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly add 1 1/2 cups cream. Return to heat and boil 5-7 minutes until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla and swirl in 1/4 cup cold butter. Serve over cake with whipped cream. 

Serves 8-10.
Original link:
http://www.komonews.com/features/cookingwithtodd/4361866.html