Sticky date and Guinness pudding with warm whiskey sauce

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the cake tin.
2. Put the dates in a large heatproof bowl while you bring the Guinness to the boil in a saucepan. As soon as it boils, immediately pour it over the dates. Add the espresso powder, vanilla extract and bicarbonate of soda. Stir well and set aside.
3. Cream the 110g butter and 140g sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy (it’s easiest to use an electric mixer, but you could do it by hand with a wooden spoon). Add the eggs and sift in the flour. Gently mix to combine, then add the date mixture and mix again. Pour the batter, which will be very runny, into the prepared tin.
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4. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 50-60 minutes until risen, firm to the touch and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set aside.
5. To make the whiskey sauce, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and  heat gently until melted. Bring to the boil and cook for 1 minute to thicken it slightly.
6. Turn the cake out onto a serving plate, remove the baking paper, then slice and serve with the whiskey sauce and, if you like, whipped cream on the side.