Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup boiling water
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup coarsely chopped pitted dates
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup Hellmann?s Real Mayonnaise
6 tablespoons grated unsweetened chocolate (1 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-inch square pan.

Stir together baking soda and boiling water in a medium-size bowl until baking soda is dissolved. Stir in nuts and dates. With mixer at low speed, beat together sugar and mayonnaise in large bowl until well blended. Ad chocolate and vanilla extract; beat until well blended. Add date mixture; beat until blended. Gradually beat in flour until smooth. Turn into prepared pan. Bake until wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with whipped cream or frost with Fudge Frosting if desired.

Fudge Frosting
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup Hershey's Syrup
1/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl until blended.