Date Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb pitted dates, sliced
2 cups water
3 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
10 ounces chocolate chips
2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 extra large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla
icing sugar

Preparation

Combine dates and water in medium saucepan.
Bring to a boil over high heat.
Remove from heat and let dates cool in liquid; do not drain.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Butter and flour 13 X 9 inch pyrex baking dish.
Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.
Combine chocolate chips and walnuts in medium bowl and set aside.
Cream butter with sugar in another large bowl, about 8 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition.
Stir in vanilla.
Beat in 1/4 of undrained dates.
Beat in 1/4 of flour mixture.
Continue adding date and flour mixtures alternately to batter, beating well after each addition, ending with flour.
Pour into pan.
Sprinkle chocolate chip/nut mixture evenly over top.
Bake about 45-50 minutes.
Let cool in pan.
Sprinkle with icing sugar if desired.
This will stay moist for days if wrapped in foil.