Sticky Toffee Pudding

For the pudding:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour the baking pan.

In a medium saucepan, combine water and dates and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda until mixture becomes foamy. Set aside to cool.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Beat together butter, sugar, and vanilla to blend (mixture will be grainy).

Beat in 1 egg. Add half of flour mixture and half of date mixture, beat to blend. Repeat with remaining egg, flour mixture, and date mixture.

Pour batter into greased and floured baking pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

For the sauce:
In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cream, and butter.

Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat, stir in vanilla.

Allow to cool slightly, then pour generously over cake.