Sticky Date Nut Pudding Dessert With Caramel Or Toffee Sauce

• 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

1. Pre-heat oven to 350u0b0F.
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!

dates, baking soda, butter, boiling water, sugar, egg, vanilla, flour, pecans, caramel sauce, brown sugar, water, butter, cornstarch, toffee sauce, brown sugar, whipping cream, vanilla, butter

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/sticky-date-nut-pudding-dessert-with-caramel-or-toffee-sauce-254022 (may not work)