• Gather all ingredients before starting the recipe.

Cake

• Pre heat oven to 325°F
• Butter and flour an 8"x 8" baking pan.
• Chop dates and place in a small bowl, pour scalding coffee over dates and let soak for about 15 minutes. Stir in baking soda.
  
• Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
  
• Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium high speed until the butter has become pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  
• Reduce speed to medium and add in eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly combined.
  
• Reduce speed to low and add half the flour mixture, beating until well combined.
• Add date mixture and the rest of the flour mixture, beating until combined.
  
• Transfer the batter to a baking pan and bake until the cake is puffed and rises back in the center when gently pressed. About 25 minutes.
  

Sauce

• Meanwhile, combine butter and sugar in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil over high heat.
  
• Reduce heat to medium (so sauce does not boil over) add cream, stirring frequently until the sauce thickens and darkens sightly, about 4 minutes.
  

Finishing

• Remove cake from oven and pierce holes in the cake at 1" intervals with a wooden skewer. Pour half of the sauce over the cake and let soak for about 20 minutes.
  
• Serve warm with remaining sauce and a scoop of soft vanilla ice cream.

Next day

• The cake can be stored at room temperature up to 1 day. Before serving, warm cake in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes and the sauce in a medium pan over medium heat.