Chocolate Chip Date Cake

It's Tuesday and it is time for my next recipe.  Don't let the dates in this recipe fool you.  I really don't like dates and a lot of people get turned off by that ingredient.  In this cake, they disappear and just add moisture and sweetness.

Chocolate Chip Date Cake

Mix and cool:

1 1/2 cups of chopped dates (either chop up the whole dates or just buy the date bits)
2 1/4 cups boiling water
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

While this is cooling, cream:

3/4 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs

Then add cooled date mixture
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teap. salt
1 teap. baking soda

The batter is quite soupy, but don't worry just put it in a 9 x 13 pan.

Then mix together:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
6 oz. package of chocolate chips

Sprinkle this on top of batter.  Don't use extra chocolate chips.  I did that one time thinking that you can't have too many chocolate chips.  Too many chips sink to the bottom and you want them on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes

No frosting, this is a snack cake but it's good served with whipped topping.