Chocolate Chip and Date Coffee Cake

A moist cake sweetened with dates and demerara sugar.
1 1/2 C dates
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 C boiling water
3/4 C butter
3/4 C demerara sugar
1 egg
2 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 C chocolate chips, preferably grain sweetened

Put dates and 1 teaspoon of the baking soda in small bowl. Add boiling water. Soak for one hour. Cream butter and sugar. Mix in egg. Shift together flour, salt, and remaining 1/2 tsp baking soda. Combine flour mixture alternately with dates and creamed mixture. Poor into greased sqaure baking pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.