Date Nut Cake

This recipe came via a community cookbook that was gifted to me from a church in the "Little Switzerland of Ohio," otherwise known as Sugarcreek, Ohio. I'm not sure when the cookbook was published - perhaps in the 1970's or 1980's - but this seemed like a good, old-fashioned recipe, so I thought I'd try it. It was a wonderful cake!

1/2 lb. chopped pitted dates
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup shortening (I used butter)
1 egg
1 cup of chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
1 cup of boiling water
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 2/3 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Put chopped dates in a small bowl and sprinkle baking soda over dates. Cover with 1 cup boiling water and allow to cool to room temperature.

Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg and salt and beat well.

Add the date mixture (including liquid) alternately with the flour to the creamed mixture, scraping the bowl as needed. Add nuts and vanilla and stir in until combined.

Bake in a greased and floured 8x12 pan (I used an 8x8 pan) for 50 minutes at 325 degrees, or until cake tests done. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool completely on wire rack. Once cake is cooled, spread topping on cake.

Topping:
1/2 lb. chopped pitted dates
2 TBSP corn starch
1 cup sugar (I would cut this down to 1/2 cup unless you want a very sweet topping)
1 cup water

Combine all ingredients in sauce pan and slowly bring to a boil stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before putting on cake.