- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 cup chopped dates
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 cup hot water
- 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon soda
- 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup chopped nuts
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Cook the shortening, dates, sugar, and water in a saucepan 5 minutes. Cool slightly. Sift together flour, soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Add nuts. Combine liquid and dry ingredients; add vanilla; mix until blended.
Do not overheat.
Pour batter into a greased pan (8×8 inches) ; bake in a slow oven (325F) about 45 minutes. Cool. Frost with Creamy Lemon Frosting. Cut into thin slices to serve. Yield: 8×8-inch cake-32 pieces (1×2 inches) .