Forgotten date cake from Sumac by Anas Atassi

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 200 g (1 scant cup) sugar
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 125 ml (½ cup) of thick (double) cream
• 225 ml (7½ fl oz) of boiling water
• 125 ml (½ cup) of vegetable oil
• 50 ml (2½ tablespoons) of milk
• 200 g (1⅓ cups) of soft dates (pitted)
• 2 eggs
• 250 g (1. cups) of plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
• 50 g (¼ cup) of brown sugar