Gather the ingredients.

Make the Toffee Sauce: Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and 1 cup of the cream in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened and a deep amber caramel forms, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Carefully whisk in remaining ¾ cup cream; cook over medium, whisking constantly, until smooth and well combined, about 2 minutes.

Strain sauce through a sieve into a bowl. Discard any solids.

Prepare the Cakes: Bring dates and water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low, about 5 minutes. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until water is nearly absorbed and dates are soft, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Transfer dates and any liquid to a food processor and puree until mostly smooth, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping often to scrape down sides.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter six (6-ounce) ramekins; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl.

Beat brown sugar with the butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla, then beat in date puree.

With mixer on low speed, beat in flour mixture just until combined, 15 to 30 seconds.

Evenly divide and spread batter into prepared ramekins and smooth tops (about ¼ cup each).

Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. (It’s OK if cakes dip slightly in centers.) Remove cakes from ramekins and let cool slightly on a wire rack, about 10 minutes. Leave oven on.

Trim tops of cakes level with rims of ramekins using a small serrated knife, if needed.

Unmold cakes, if needed, and slice each cake in half horizontally.

Wipe out ramekins and spoon 1 tablespoon of the Toffee Sauce into each. Return bottom layers of cakes to ramekins, cut side up.

Spoon another tablespoon of Toffee Sauce onto cake halves in ramekins, spreading in an even layer; top with remaining cake layer

Spoon another tablespoon of the Toffee Sauce over cakes and spread evenly. Place ramekins back on a baking sheet and bake until toffee is bubbling around edges, 10 to 15 minutes.

Let puddings cool for 5 minutes, then run a thin-bladed knife around insides of ramekins; invert each pudding onto a dessert plate. Rewarm remaining Toffee Sauce and spoon some around puddings. Serve immediately with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.