Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line the base of a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.

Step 2

To make the cake, first prepare the dates. Place the chopped dates in a saucepan with the water and bring to a gently boil. Place a lid on and cock it slightly and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and mash the dates with a fork until it is a thick puree consistency with some soft chunks of dates. Set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.

Step 3

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

Step 4

In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, brown sugar and orange zest (if you're using it) until blended. Whisk in eggs one at a time until well incorporated. Sift in dry ingredients and fold them in gently. Add the warm date mixture and fold in until well combined.

Step 5

Spread batter into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until evenly golden and skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Step 6

For the toffee sauce, combine all ingredients in a saucepan and whisk until smooth. Place the saucepan over medium heat and simmer for 6-7 minutes while whisking constantly until thickened. Pour it into a clean jar and serve warm over the cake.