• 1 ½ cups (283g) Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups (240g) all purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup (220g) light brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp molasses

• ¾ cups (170g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups (255g) dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp molasses
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream 35%
• ¼ tsp salt

Make toffee sauce

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the remaining ingredients, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the dates and water and cook over medium heat, simmering and stirring until the dates are soft and mushy and most of the water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda (mixture will foam). Transfer to a large plate, cover and set aside to cool completely or until just slightly warm.

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 6-cavity jumbo muffin pan with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter with both sugars until lightened in both texture and colour, about 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla and molasses. On the lowest speed, gradually add the flour mixture, just until combined (do not overmix). Add the cooled dates, and mix together gently on low speed until combined, scrape bowl again as needed.

Fill muffin pans 2/3 full, and bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few cooked crumbs attached, sides start to pull away from the pan and the center springs back when lightly pressed.

Remove from oven, and reheat toffee sauce until very hot.
Poke holes all over the cakes using a toothpick or skewer, and pour 2 tbsp of sauce over each cake. Let the sauce soak in for about 5 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a serving platter. Pour 2 tbsp more sauce on top of each cake, and reserve remaining sauce for serving on the side.

Serve warm, topped with an (optional) scoop of vanilla ice cream and more toffee sauce if desired. Heat leftovers in the microwave individually until warm. Store in an airtight container.