Queen Elizabeth Cake

This recipe is from my mother-in-law and is always a success. It can be served either as a dessert with ice-cream on the side, or as a cake.

Cake:
1 cup pitted dates
1 cup water
¼ cup margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1½ cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:
½ cup margarine
10 tbsp dark brown sugar
5 tbsp 35% cream
1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened is best)
½ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the dates and water in a small saucepan. Simmer together for 3-5 minutes then leave to cool until lukewarm.
2. In a food processor, mix the ¼ cup margarine and sugar together well. Add the egg and mix again. Add the sifted flour, baking powder and baking soda, and mix again until all the flour is incorporated.
3. Add the dates, chopped walnuts and vanilla extract and process one final time (Note: if you are using a hand held mixer and not a food processor you should process or blend the dates and nuts separately to ensure they are finely chopped before adding).
4. Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 12” baking tray and bake for an initial 30-35 minutes.

For the topping:
1. In a medium sized saucepan heat all the topping ingredients over medium-low heat until the margarine is melted. Stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil, and while still hot pour evenly over the cooked cake. Poke holes with a fork through the topping into the cake.
2. Return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.