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A little tahini added to the batter and the accompanying sauce imparts a deliciously nutty flavour and complexity to this classic pudding. The slightly savoury notes of the ground sesame seeds balance the sweetness and add a pleasing density and moistness, too. Baked in an ovenproof serving dish, this makes a beautiful dessert to share at the table on Father’s Day.
Alternatively, bake in a cake tin and cut slices to plate up and serve. Either way, don’t forget the jug of butterscotch and bowl of cream – or ice-cream, if you prefer – to pass around. 250g pitted dates, roughly snipped with scissors 300ml water 1 tsp baking soda 180g self-raising flour 1 tsp mixed spice 1⁄4 tsp fine sea salt 80g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus 10g extra for greasing the dish 80g light brown muscovado sugar 2 large eggs 50g tahini 1 tsp vanilla extract thick cream or vanilla ice-cream, to serve 300ml thickened cream 180g light brown muscovado sugar 80g butter, cut into 4 pieces 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract 50g tahini 1⁄4 tsp sea salt flakes If using an ovenproof serving dish, brush the base and sides with the 10g softened butter.
If using a cake tin, line the base and sides of a 20cm-square tin with baking paper, allowing an overhang on all sides to aid cake removal later on. Set the dish or tin aside. Combine the dates and water in a medium saucepan and place over medium-high heat.
When the mixture comes to a boil, remove the pan from the heat, stir in the baking soda, then set aside to cool to tepid. Preheat the oven to 175C fan-forced (195C conventional). Sift the self-raising flour, mixed spice and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
Place the butter and muscovado sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and creamy (about 2 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are well combined.
Don’t worry if the batter looks curdled; it often does at this stage. Reduce the speed to low and add the tahini and vanilla extract, mixing to combine. Still on low speed, add the dry, sifted ingredients in 3 batches, then add the cooled date mixture.
Scrape the batter into the prepared dish or tin and place on the centre rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 40–45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the pudding comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Remove the pudding from the oven.
While the pudding is in the oven, make the tahini butterscotch by combining all the ingredients, except the salt flakes, in a medium saucepan. Place over low heat and stir gently until the butter has melted, then increase the heat and bring the sauce to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 90 seconds, then remove from heat.
Stir in the salt. When the pudding is out of the oven, transfer to a wire rack to settle for about 10 minutes, then pierce holes all over with a skewer, going right through to the bottom of the cake. Spoon about a quarter of the butterscotch sauce evenly over the pudding and allow it to soak in for a few minutes.
Pour the remaining butterscotch into a jug to pass around the table. Bring the warm pudding to the table if it was baked in a serving dish, or slice into squares to plate up if it was made in the cake tin. Either way, serve accompanied by the extra butterscotch sauce and pass around a bowl of thick cream or ice-cream.
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