Only Daughter has requested I put this recipe on my Blog!
I have made this Date Bar/Cake recipe for over 40 years and my kids all love it…even though the recipe contains dates and they profess to hate dates.
They don’t even know they are there! Well, they do now because they are all old enough to read a recipe and bake the Bar/Cake themselves. I call it a Bar/Cake because you don’t have to frost it…or glaze it as it is so good on it’s own. Not as thin as a bar, more like a cake.
Just cut and serve.
Warm or cold.
Night or Day.
I guess you can tell I really like this recipe too!
So this is for a special request from “Only Daughter”… Luv ya Sis!
“Oldest Son” requested this same recipe last June, so I sent it to him in an email, ….but he has yet to make it. I think! Last report anyway….as I have said before, all my sons cook and bake. Luv ’em all!


- 1 cup of pitted chopped dates
- 1 cup of boiling water
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 2/3 cup of shortening
- 1 cup of sugar
- 2 beaten eggs
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1 3/4 cup of sifted flour
- 1 Tablespoon of Cocoa
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup of chopped nuts, I prefer pecans but any nut will work
- Add chopped dates and baking soda to the hot boiling water and set aside to cool
- Cream the shortening and sugar, add the eggs and vanilla, mixing well and set aside.
- To the sifted flour, add the cocoa and the salt
- Alternately add the the date mixture and the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, beating after each addition.
- Finally, sprinkle the chocolate chips and nuts over the top of the cake/bars.
- Bake in a greased and floured 9X13 pan for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Check with toothpick for doneness. Do not overbake
- My family always preferred this cake/bar with no frosting. The chocolate chips and nuts provide a crunchy/soft topping. Delish!
Y have I never had these? Or have I?
You have sweetie….you just didn’t know what you were eating! 🙂
This is the best bar cookie ever. We always looked forward to Christmas when mom would bake all of her special treats. For years I ate them like crazy then one Christmas I asked mom for the recipe so I could make them for my family and when she gave me the recipe card and the first ingredient was dates I remember calling her and saying you are kidding right?. Makes me smile all the time. Thanks mom