In Australia this is a dish easily found in the frozen foods section of the grocery made by Sara Lee, but apparently they feel there wouldn't be a market for it in the US, so we turned to this recipe.

Sticky Date Pudding with Toffee Sauce

For Pudding

1 3/4 cups packed pitted dates (about 10 oz)
1 cup water
1 cup orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs

For Sauce

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Make Pudding:
Preheat oven to 375.  Butter and flour an 8-inch square baking pan, knocking out excess flour.

Coarsely chop dates and in a 1 1/2 to 2 quart saucepan simmer dates in water and orange juice uncovered for 5 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and stir in baking soda.  Mixture will foam.  Let mixture stand for 20 minutes.

While mixture is standing, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add flour, baking powder, ginger and salt, until just combined.  Add date mixture and stir until combined well.

Pour batter into baking pan and set pan in larger baking pan.  Add enough hot water to larger pan to reach halfway up sides of the smaller pan and bake in the middle of oven unitl a tester comes out clean, 45 to 60 minutes.  Remove smaller pan from water bath and cool pudding on a rack.

Make sauce while pudding is cooling:

In a 1 1/2 to 2 quart saucepan melt butter over moderate heat and add brown sugar.  Bring mixture to a boil stirring occasionally.  Add cream and vanilla.  Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.  Cool sauce to warm.

Cut warm pudding into squares.  Serve pudding with ice cream and warm sauce.

Serves 6 to 8.