Carole Walter's Double Chocolate Cake with Dates and Walnuts

175 g dates coarsely chopped
250 ml boiling water
1 tsp baking soda
200g plain flour (rice flour works well too)
1 1/2 tblsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
225 g unsalted butter at room temperature
200 g caster sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
125 g chopped walnuts (5mm pieces)
125 g plain chocolate drops

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.  Butter a 33 x 22 cm tin.  Line bottom with baking paper.

Place the dates, boiling water and baking soda into a food processor and process until fairly smooth and thick.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt together.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until very light, then add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until pale and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla essence.

Fold in the flour mixture alternately with the pureed dates, beginning and ending with the flour.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and spread evenly.  Sprinkle with walnuts and chocolate drops.

Bake for 40-45 minutes.  Leave the cake to cool in the tin.

The photo is from another person's blog - it's the same cake.