This is another recipe pulled from the archives of my mother’s trusty recipe box. Like most recipes from mom, this one stems from my childhood. I’d never made it myself until this past summer when my parents were returning from a trip to Illinois around my dad’s birthday. I asked him what I could make for him and he selected this one, only because I didn’t have the recipe for the Burnt Coconut Cake he likes. So, this one was a second runner up, but by no means is it a runner up.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• dash of salt
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 12oz. package of chocolate chips, reserving 1/2 cup
• 1 1/2 cups dates, chopped
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & lightly flour a 9×13 pan; set aside. Pour boiling water over dates to soften & allow to cool. In a large bowl, beat together the egg, butter and granulated sugar until creamy. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt & add alternately with cooled dates (and water used to soften them) to creamed mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour batter into the pan. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and chopped nuts. Sprinkle over the top of the cake. Bake for 27 – 30 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top of the cake after removing from the oven.