1. preheat oven to 180°c. 2. Combine 2 cups of chopped dates, 1 cup of boiling water, and 1 tsp of baking soda in a bowl. let it sit for 5 minutes. 3. In a separate bowl, mix 1 cup of sugar, 1 tsp of salt, and 2 cups of flour. 4. Add the date mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. 5. Pour the batter into a greased baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 6. While the cake is baking, prepare the sticky toffee sauce by combining 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of heavy cream, and 1/4 cup of butter in a saucepan. cook over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce has thickened. 7. Pour the sticky toffee sauce over the warm cake and serve.