In a medium bowl, combine roughly chopped pitted dates with boiling water and baking soda. Stir the mixture and let it sit for 15-20 minutes until the dates have softened and absorbed some moisture.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8-inch square baking pan with a thin layer of unsalted butter or cooking spray.

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and optional ground cinnamon until evenly combined.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter and brown sugar together for about 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs to the creamed mixture one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract.

Gently add the softened date mixture into the butter and egg mixture, then gradually fold in the dry ingredients until just incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Prepare the toffee sauce by melting unsalted butter, adding brown sugar and heavy cream, stirring continuously for about 3-4 minutes until smooth.

Let the pudding cool for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm, drizzled with toffee sauce.