Prepare the Gingerbread Sponge:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Grease and line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper.
3. Place the chopped dates in a bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Stir in the baking soda and let it sit for 10 minutes until the dates are soft.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt.
5. In another bowl, mix the light brown sugar, granulated sugar, melted dairy-free butter, vanilla extract, and plant-based milk until smooth.
6. Add the softened dates along with the soaking liquid to the wet ingredients and blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
7. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly.
9. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Prepare the Ginger Toffee Sauce:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the light brown sugar, dairy-free butter, canned coconut milk, and molasses.
2. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture comes to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
4. Stir in the ground ginger and vanilla extract.

Assemble the Pudding:

1. Poke holes all over the surface of the warm sponge with a skewer or fork.
2. Pour half of the warm ginger toffee sauce evenly over the sponge, allowing it to soak in.
3. Let the pudding sit for a few minutes to absorb the sauce.

Serve:

1. Serve the sticky gingerbread pudding warm, with an extra drizzle of the remaining ginger toffee sauce.
2. Enjoy this gooey, sweet, and comforting dessert with a scoop of dairy-free ice cream or a dollop of dairy-free whipped cream if desired.