My Mom and Grandmother used to make date pudding for holiday meals and this was the first time I have ever made it myself. I never got the family receipe so I went in search of one on the internet and found this one at Receipezaar. I increased the ingredients as I made mine in a 9 x13 cake pan as that was what my Mom and Grandmother always used.
This receipe turned out wonderfully gooey and good and dare I say it, better than what our family receipe was.
If you have never had date pudding, the closest thing I can think of that is similar is pecan pie, except there is no crust, you use walnuts instead of pecans and it is more like a rich gooey cake than pudding and is wonderful served warm with whipped topping.
http://www.recipezaar.com/Date-Pudding-78429?scaleto=12
Ingredients
2 cups packed dark brown sugar, divided into 1 1/2 cups and 1/2 cup
1 1/3 cups water
4 tsp. margarine
1 1/3 cups flour
2 2/3 teaspoons baking powder
1 pinch of salt
2/3 cup milk
1 1/3 cups chopped dates
1 cup walnuts (I used walnut halves, receipe calls for chopped walnuts)
whipped cream
.
Pour syrup mixture into the pan
Preheat oven to 350°.
This make 12 large pieces of pudding/cake
In a saucepan combine 1 1/2 cup brown sugar, water, and bring to a boil, cook for 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and add the margarine - this will make a syrup mixture
In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, 1/2 cup sugar. Stir in milk until smooth. 
Add dates and walnuts
Thoroughly mix the dates and walnuts in
.
Pour syrup mixture into the pan
Add batter and push the batter down into the syrup mixture until fully and evenly distributed across the bottom of the pan.
Bake for 35 minutes.
Bake for 35 minutes.
Serve warm with whipped cream.
