Hey Joe,
My grandmother (born 1908) made a version called Date Pudding as well. Luckily my sister found the recipe. She even made it and took the time to tell me how tasty it was. Now I have to go to the store! This is a dense moist cake.
Date Pudding
Ingredients
• 1 cup dates, pitted and chopped (packed tight)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
• 1 1/3 cups Flour
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9" round or an 8" square pan.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the dates with the butter, baking soda, sugar, salt, and spices. Pour the boiling water over the date mixture, stir to combine, and let cool to room temperature.
3. Stir in the nuts and flour, then transfer to the prepared pan.
4. Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes, until set but still quite moist; the edges will just barely begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.
5. Remove from the oven and serve warm, with whipped cream or ice cream.
6. Store any leftovers covered and refrigerated for up to five days.