1 cup dates, chopped
1 cup hot water
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Pour hot water over the dates then cook over low fire for 15 to 20 minutes. Add baking soda and stir mixture. In large bowl, cream sugar and butter together. Add egg, vanilla and date mixture. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and add same to the date mixture. Preheat oven to 325°F. Put mixture in a 8x12-inch glass pan and cook 30 to 40 minutes. While cake is baking, prepare topping.

TOPPING:

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tbsp. butter
6 tbsp. cream
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped

Mix ingredients together and cook 3 minutes after mixture boils. When cake is done, pour over cake and put under broiler 1 1/2 minutes. Watch closely!