Sticky Date Nut Pudding Dessert With Caramel or Toffee Sauce

My sister-in-law makes this for my in-laws' Christmas meal and it is delicious. I added this to my extended family's holiday table several years ago and now I would be in trouble if I didn't make it and bring it to our holiday feast! In the past three years, it has become a new tradition for my family (which doesn't happen often!). My mother even requests this for the Thanksgiving meal. If you're searching for something deliciously different for your holiday meals, you will not be disappointed with this. It is a trifle-like dessert with layers of cubed, moist date/nut cake, cool whip, and candy-like caramel or toffee sauce. AMAZING. This recipe makes one dessert bowl. Doubling this will make it fit nicely into a 9x13" pan and into two dessert bowls.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 1 bowl

Ingredients

• 1  cup  chopped pitted dates
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  tablespoon butter
• 1  cup boiling water
• 1  cup sugar
• 1  egg, beaten
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1⁄2 cups flour
• 3⁄4 cup  chopped pecans or 3⁄4 cup walnuts
• 1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip Topping

• Caramel Sauce

• 1  cup brown sugar
• 2  cups water
• 1⁄2 cup butter or 1⁄2 cup margarine
•  cornstarch or  flour, to thicken

• Toffee Sauce

• 1  cup soft brown sugar
• 3⁄4 cup  whipping cream
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 2  tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix boiling water, baking soda and butter together and pour over dates. Let cool slightly.
3. In a separate bowl mix cake batter: sugar, egg, vanilla, flour and chopped nuts.
4. Combine the cake batter with date mixture and mix well.
5. Pour the batter into a greased 8x8" pan (or use a 9x13" pan if doubling recipe).
6. Bake at 350 F for approximately 20-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
7. For Caramel Sauce: Combine sugar, water and butter in a saucepan, bring to a boil, stirring, reduce heat and simmer for approximately five minutes while adding cornstarch or flour to thicken sauce. (Mix cornstarch or flour with small amounts of cold water and add to sauce).
8. For Toffee Sauce: Combine sugar, cream and butter in a saucepan, bring to a boil, stirring, reduce heat and simmer for five minutes until thickened.
9. Cut the cooled cake into very small square pieces.
10. In a pudding bowl - layer 1/2 of the cake pieces, then 1/2 sauce and 1/2 tub Cool Whip. Repeat layer. Chill and serve!