Traveling gal's chocolate cake

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
  
       Title: TRAVELING GAL'S CHOCOLATE CAKE
  Categories: Cakes
       Yield: 12 servings
  
   1 1/2 c  Dates; diced
       2    Eggs, beaten
     1/2 ts Salt
       1 ts Baking soda
       1 c  Water; hot
       3 ts Water; hot
       2 c  Flour
       1 ts Cocoa
       1 ts Vanilla
       1 c  Sugar
       1 c  Butter or margarine
       1 c  Chocolate chips; 6 oz
     1/2 c  Nuts; chopped
  
   Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place dates in small bowl. Sprinkle with
   baking soda; add hot water. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes to plump dates.
   In large mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter or margarine together.
   Add eggs. Beat well again. Sift flour, salt and cocoa together. Add
   dry ingredients to sugar-butter mixture in small amounts, alternating
   with date mixture. Add vanilla and mix well. Fold in 1/2 cup of
   chocolate chips. Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13 x 2" baking
   pan. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips and chopped nuts over top.
   Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out
   clean.
  
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