Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C (355°F).

Step 2

Place the dates, water and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Place the date mixture in the bowl of a food processor and process it until it reaches a paste texture while it still has some chunks of dates in it. Set aside to cool down.

Step 3

Add flour, cinnamon and brown sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer and mix using a paddle attachment to get them well combined. Next add the butter and allow it to mix until it reaches a crumbly sand like texture.

Step 4

While that's mixing add your date mixture into a large jug along with your eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk together until well combined.

Step 5

Add your date mixture to your dry ingredients and allow it to mix until there are no dry ingredients showing. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl then mix for a final 20 seconds.

Step 6

Scoop your batter into your cupcake tin lined with cupcakes liners and fill 1/2 way as these rise a fair bit. Bake for about 25-30 min or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Place them onto a cooling rack and allow them to cool down completely before frosting.

Step 7

To finish the cupcakes off fill a piping bag with brown sugar frosting fitted with a star tip. Pipe in a swirl motion and drizzle a generous amount of salted caramel sauce over the top right before serving.