Date and Walnut Cake

From The Ballymaloe Cookbook by Myrtle Allen.

Makes approx. 10 slices

1 cup chopped dates

1 cup boiling water

½ tsp breadsoda

1 cup sugar

2oz (50g) softened butter

1 beaten egg

1 tsp vanilla essence

1¨½ cups flour

½ tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

1 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting:

2¨½ tbsp brown sugar

5 tbsp cream

1 oz (25g) butter

½ cup approx. icing sugar

Walnuts for decoration

Shallow tin 9 x 12 inches (23x30cm) or 2 smaller ones, greased.

Pour boiling water over the dates and add bread soda.

Cream butter and sugar together and gradually beat in the egg, vanilla essence, flour, baking powder and salt.

Finally add walnuts and combine with date mixture.

Bake at 375F/190C/regulo 5 for approx. 35 minutes.

When cool ice with the frosting and decorate with walnuts.

To make the frosting: Put sugar, cream and butter in a saucepan and boil for 3 minutes.

Add icing sugar and cool.

Add a little more icing sugar if too liquid.