1. Soak the dates by cutting them into small pieces and placing them in a bowl with boiling water and a teaspoon of baking soda. Let the mixture rest for about 30 minutes to soften the dates.
2. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) while the dates are softening.
3. Puree the softened dates until smooth, and set the puree aside.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine the date puree with brown sugar, eggs, melted unsalted butter, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
6. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet date mixture, stirring gently to avoid overmixing the batter.
7. Grease a baking dish (a 9×9-inch metal baking pan is recommended) to prevent sticking.
8. Pour the prepared batter into the greased baking dish and smooth the surface with a spatula.
9. Bake the cake for approximately 50 minutes. Check its doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out with moist crumbs but no wet batter.
10. While the cake is baking, prepare the toffee sauce. Combine brown sugar, heavy cream, unsalted butter, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan over medium heat.
11. Bring the sauce mixture to a gentle boil, then simmer until the sugar dissolves completely and the texture becomes smooth.
12. Remove the toffee sauce from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let it cool slightly as it thickens.
13. Once the cake has baked and is still warm, use a skewer to poke small holes across its surface.
14. Pour a portion of the slightly cooled toffee sauce over the cake, allowing it to seep into the holes for added flavor and moisture.
15. Slice the cake and serve warm, drizzling more toffee sauce over each individual portion.
16. Optionally, pair the cake with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for extra indulgence.