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1
Preheat oven to 350F (180 C).
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2
Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper.
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3
Half-fill a larger baking pan with hot water.
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4
For the pudding, chop the dates coarsely, place them in a small saucepan with the water and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
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5
Remove the saucepan from the heat, mix in the baking soda and let stand for 20 minutes.
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6
In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar, adding the eggs one by one, mixing well after each addition.
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7
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, ground ginger and salt.
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8
Use a spoon to work this into the egg mixture.
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9
Finally, add the date mixture and combine all the ingredients well.
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10
Pour the mix into the prepared baking pan and place the pan in the water bath.
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11
Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 300F (150 C) until the cake is cooked, 25 more minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
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12
Cut in 8 squares.
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13
For the toffee sauce, melt the butter and dissolve the sugar in it over medium heat.
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14
Add the cream, vanilla, and rum, simmer for 5 minutes until thickened slightly.
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15
Serve the pudding warm with warm toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream.
