Canadian Rum Cake

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound dates, pitted and chopped
• 1 pound walnuts, chopped
• 3/4 cup butter (room temperature)
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup boiling water
• 3 eggs, well beaten
• 2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons rum
• Rum glaze (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9 x 1 inch baking pan.
2. Cream butter and sugar until well blended. Add dates and nuts.
3. Mix baking soda with water and pour over nut/date mixture. Add eggs. Stir in the flour and salt, beating until smooth. Add the rum and blend well.
4. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Test to make sure cake is done.
5. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes then remove from the pan.
6. Frost with Rum Glaze.
7. Rum Glaze: Mix 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar with 1 tablespoon rum or as much rum as needed to make the glaze just thin enough to pour.