Ingredients

• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup self-rising flour, plus
• 2 tablespoons self-rising flour
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup chopped rolled dates, plus
• 2 tablespoons chopped rolled dates (optional...I don't like dates, so I didn't use them)
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, in little blobs
• 2 1/4 cups boiling water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and butter a 1 1/2-quart capacity baking dish (I used a combo of Pam and butter and it worked fine).

2. Combine the sugar with the flour in a large bowl.

3. Pour the milk into a measuring cup, beat in the egg, vanilla and melted buter and then pour this mixture over the sugar and flour, stirring--just with a wooden spoon--to combine.

4. Fold in the dates then scrape into the prepared baking dish.

5. *Don't worry if it doesn't look very full: it will do by the time it cooks*.

6. Sprinkle the sugar for the sauce over the batter and dot with the butter.

7. Pour the boiling water over the whole thing (yes, really!) and transfer to the oven.

8. Set timer for 45 minutes, though you might find the dessert needs 5 or 10 minutes more (this was a frustrating part, for whatever reason I ended up having to put it back in for almost 20 minutes-- but then it was very cake-like, Remember that it thickens up when you take it out).

9. The top of the dessert should be springy and spongy when it's cooked; underneath, the butter, dark brown sugar and boiling water will have turned into a rich, sticky sauce.

10. Serve with vanilla ice cream, creme fraiche or heavy or light cream as you wish.