Ingredients

Instructions

  1. For the toffee sauce; whisk sugar and butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted.
  2. (mixture will be grainy).
  3. Add cream and boil until mixture coats spoon thickly, whisking constantly, about 10 minutes.
  4. Cool slightly.
  5. Whisk in rum.
  6. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before serving) For cakes; combine dates and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan; boil until dates are soft, about 2 minutes.
  7. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
  8. Stir in vanilla and baking soda.
  9. Preheat oven to 350*F.
  10. Butter and flour 10 muffin cups from 1 standard 12 cup muffin pan.
  11. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl to blend.
  12. using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl to blend.
  13. Beat in egg.
  14. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with date mixture in 2 additions, beating to blend after each addition.
  15. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups.
  16. Bake cakes until brown and tester comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
  17. Cool cakes in pan on rack 10 minutes.
  18. Turn out onto a baking sheet.
  19. Spoon 2 TBS of warm toffee sauce over each warm cake.
  20. Let cool completely.
  21. (Can be made 1 day ahead. cover with foil and refrigerate).
  22. Preheat oven to 350*F.
  23. Reheat cakes on sheet until warm, about 10 minutes.
  24. Put on serving plates.
  25. Drizzle with remaining warm toffee sauce.
  26. Serve with whipped cream.