Andrine’s Simple Date Cake is a handwritten loaf-style cake made with chopped dates and nuts and served plain or topped with whipping cream or hard sauce. The recipe begins by telling the cook to “stone” the dates—an older cooking term meaning to remove the pits—before cutting them into small pieces. Baked in a loaf pan and sliced to serve, it’s a simple dessert with very little fuss.
Stone and cut into small sizes 1 cup dates.
Put into small mixing bowl and sprinkle over them 1 rounded teaspoon soda and pour over this 1 cup boiling water.
Cool, mix 1 cup sugar, 1 heaping tablespoon butter, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla .
Add date mixture 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup nuts.
Bake in a greased loaf pan in slow oven until it starts to shrink from sides of pan.
When cool slice and serve.
It may be covered up with whipping
cream or hard sauce.