Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350º. Have a 2-quart baking dish handy.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the buttermilk, butter and dates to make a thick batter, and spread in the bottom of the baking dish.
In a small saucepan, heat the coffee, butter and brown sugar to a boil, stirring to melt the butter and sugar. Pour over the batter. Bake the pudding for 30 - 40 minutes; the pudding will look dry and cracked on top, and a thick sauce will bubble up around the edges.
Douse the hot pudding with the brandy. Scoop servings of the warm pudding into bowls and top with a pour of heavy cream, crème anglaise or ice cream. The pudding keeps well in the fridge for up to a week; re-warm before serving.
Notes
Adapted from Deborah Madison's Seasonal Fruit Desserts.Feel free to add 1 cup of toasted, chopped walnuts along with the dates as per the original recipe; I omitted them because I wanted a smooth pudding, but I bet they would be delicious!Nutritional values are based on one of eight servings.