• Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-assisted) and place a ceramic bowl filled with about an inch of water at the bottom of your oven - this creates steam to keep the cake moist.
• Line the base and the sides of an 8” spring form round baking tin with baking parchment. Put the dates in a medium pan with 300ml of cold water, bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes remove the pan from the stove and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
• Then add the bicarbonate of soda (the mixture will froth up) and use the back of a tablespoon to blend the mixture together, pressing the dates into the base of the pan until the mixtures forms a smooth paste. Add the date syrup and mix until smooth and well blended.
• Combine the oat flour, baking powder, coconut sugar and sea salt. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs until smooth then whisk in the oil and vanilla bean paste.
• Sift the dry ingredients onto the wet mixture and mix until smooth. Stire in the date paste until thoroughly combined then pour the mixture into the lined baking tin and bake on middle shelf of the oven for 45-50 minutes, check after 45 minutes. A skewer or tooth pick should come out clean from the mixture.
• Leave on a wire rack until it’s cool enough for you to release the sides of the tin and transfer to a serving platter deep enough to hold some sauce.
• To make the sauce, in a medium sized saucepan add all the ingredients and mix until smooth. When ready to serve, place the saucepan on a gentle heat to warm through, then when ready to serve pour generously over the top of the cake.
• Serve with ice cream.

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Recipe first published in the JC August 30 2018