Coconut Date Cake

From a Stork margarine competition in 1966 (South Africa). It is one of 20 recipes provided, and the competition required entrants to predict the order in which these cakes would be placed by the judges at the Stork Bake-Off Finals. (Winning prize was an Opel Kadett, a fridge and stove, plus R500, an electric mixer and R50 worth of kitchen utensils.) This cake is delicious, and was contributed by (as per the pamphlet) Mrs R.P. Muller, House No.1, Mooi River. One day I will try the other 19 recipes. (Found in my Mother's recipe collection.) We don't make the filling, we just sandwich it together with chocolate glace icing.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 8-12
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• 4  ounces butter (Stork, of course) or 4  ounces margarine (Stork, of course)
• 2  cups flour
• 1  cup sugar
• 1  egg
• 1  cup  chopped dates
• 1⁄2 cup coconut
• 1  cup hot water
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon vanilla

• Filling

• 1  tablespoon butter or 1  tablespoon margarine
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup coconut
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped dates
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1  tablespoon  cocoa

Directions

1. Pour hot water over dates and baking soda; leave aside.
2. Cream butter/margarine and sugar, add beaten egg.
3. Stir in date mixture and add vanilla, salt and coconut,
4. Stir in sifted flout and baking powder.
5. Bake in 2 prepared cake pans at 375 degrees F for 20 - 30 minutes.
6. Filling:
7. Cook sugar, cocoa, water, dates and butter/margarine until thick. Add coconut.
8. To be spread between the two cake layers.
9. Decorate top of cake with chocolate icing.