Festive sticky gingerbread

125g pitted dates, chopped

200ml boiling water

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

125g light brown sugar

75g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

2 large eggs

1 tbsp ground ginger

175g self-raising flour

1 tbsp treacle

50g pecan nuts, roughly chopped

For the butterscotch sauce:

200g caster sugar

50g butter, diced

200ml cream

3 tbsp dark rum

1 vanilla pod, split in half and seeds scraped out