Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease individual pudding cups.
Place dates and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Pour over boiling water. Allow to stand for 20 minutes. Mash with a potato masher or fork until it resembles sloppy porridge.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Beat in egg. Using a large metal spoon, fold through date mixture and flour until well combined.
Spoon mixture into prepared pudding cups – only fill to 2/3. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn onto a plate.
Make sauce Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until sauce comes to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Pierce pudding all over with a skewer. Pour 1/2 cup of warm sauce over warm pudding. Stand for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges. Serve with remaining sauce.
