Date Cake

Yours truely still having packs of dates leftover from Zulhijjah 10 days fasting plus packs sent by someone in Makkah thru my aunt when she's back from hajj last month. There was times when we did not have dates on the shelves as of nowadays, my mom used to keep stock from Ramadhan to last for few months. She used to take out from the container and dry it off under the hot sun, then dates look good and nice to eat again. She made cakes too. Here is something I tried hard to recall, then managed to documented in metrics!

240 g plain flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda bikarbonat
220 fine granulated sugar (I substitute with light brown sugar)

20pcs dates - deseeded and sliced
200 ml fresh milk ( my mom used fresh cow milk!)

200ml oil ( yes... cooking oil)
vanilla, salt
3 large eggs
200 ml warm water

Soak sliced dates in milk for at least 1 hour until milk turn brown in dates discoloration. Sift flour, bp and sb together then add in sugar and mix dry ingredients evenly. Pour in warm water and stir. Beat eggs then add into the mixture and continue mixing with wooden spatula. Add in vanilla and salt. Put milk and dates into tight drinking Tupperware tumbler and shake vigorously then pour into mixture followed by oil. Blend well and put into 8" pan.
Bake or steam for approximately 1 hour.