1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
5 eggs
1 lb. pkg. orange slice candy, cut up
2 c. chopped pecans
4 oz. can shredded coconut
4 c. sifted plain flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3/4 c. buttermilk
1 tbsp. vanilla
8 oz. pkg. dates, cut up

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla. Mix dates, candy, nuts and coconut with 1/4 of the flour. Sift the remaining ingredients together. Add them to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Fold in the fruit - nut mixture. Spoon into well greased and floured 10 inch tube pan. Bake in slow 300 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours. Remove cake from oven and pour on syrup (recipe follows). Cool on rack, then remove from pan.

SYRUP:

1 tsp. grated orange peel
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/4 c. orange juice
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/2 c. confectioners sugar

Mix all these ingredients together and pour on cake. Refrigerate cake wrapped in aluminum foil at least one day before serving.