English Chocolate Cake with Caramel Sauce

I admit it, I love a bargain. The feeling of satisfaction that comes after getting a great deal. However my love of a bargain can sometimes override my good sense. Especially when it comes to the wholesale clubs, like Sam's and Costco. I'm a Sam's club member, and you really can get great deals on everything from tires to milk. I've gotten two garden hoses for less then the price of one in a regular store, and picked up steaks for significantly less than the price at the grocery store. The excitement of such deals can make me temporarily loose all sense of reason. Aside from restaurants and families of 8 or more who really needs two gallons of mayonnaise? Who's got enough space in the refrigerator? But it's such a great deal that I've been known to make such purchases. This happened on a recent trip to Sam's. They had dates on sale for $4.88, about the price of a small box at the grocery store. $4.88, for 3 pounds of pitted dates. I grabbed a container and threw it into my cart. See right there, losing sense of reason...3lbs of dates?!? Yes an amazing bargain, but how many dates can I really eat? So after making my great purchase and going home, it began to dawn on me that I had 3 pounds of dates to use!! I've looked for any reason to use dates since I bought them. I stuffed some with Parmesan and wrapped them in bacon as an appetizer for a party. I made 2 dozen for the party and it barely made a dent in the 3 pounds. So I've been keeping an eye out for any recipe using LOTS of dates. I came across a recipe for Queens Cake from La Cuisine d'Helen. It uses 1 3/4 cups of dates!! Yeah. Queens cake is sort of a chocolate version of sticky toffee pudding, which is one of favorite desserts, so I couldn't wait to give it a try. This is an awesome cake. No one would even guess it had so many dates in it! Helen calls it the ultimate cake and I would have to agree. The caramel sauce alone is enough to make you swoon. Make this cake even if your not trying to use up 3 lbs of dates. With all those dates it's healthy cake, right? Well maybe not after you add the caramel sauce;)
I still have about a pound and a half of dates left to use so if you've got any suggestions???
English Chocolate Cake with Caramel Sauce

1 1/4 cups water
1 3/4 cups dates
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter -- softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound nuts (optional)
8 ounces chocolate chips

CARAMEL SAUCE:
2 cups cream
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F.

Put the water and dates in a saucepan. Bring to boil. Boil the dates for 3 min. Turn off the heat, add the baking soda and let cool a bit. Mash the dates with a fork until pureed.

In a medium bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Whisk well.

In a large bowl, cream sugar with the soft butter. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add half of the flour mixture and mix. Add the dates. Then finish with the flour and mix well.

Pour into a 13x9 buttered pan. Bake for 25 min.

In the meantime, bring the cream, brown sugar and butter to a boil. Boil for 4 min. on med-heat and take out 1 1/4 cups of the mix. Continue to cook what's remaining for another 10-13 min.

After 25 min., take out the cake and put on top the nuts, if using. Add the chocolate chips and pour the 1 1/4 cup of the caramel sauce on top.

Return to oven for another 20 min.

Serve with ice cream and the caramel sauce