Add the dates, bicarbonate of soda and boiling water to a bowl. Leave for 10 minutes to soften.
Add the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined. Stir through the self-raising flour until you have a smooth batter.
Grease the slow cooker with butter and pour in the batter. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours or until the centre is just set.
15 minutes before it is ready- make the butterscotch sauce. Add the brown sugar, cream, butter, salt and vanilla to a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until smooth, then simmer gently for 5–8 minutes until thick, glossy and caramel-like.
Once the pudding is cooked, poke a few holes over the top and pour over some of the warm butterscotch sauce. Serve with vanilla bean ice cream and the remaining sauce.
