It’s the dates that give this chocolate loaf it’s marvellously moist texture and a toffee like flavour. 
This recipe came about like so many others because I had an excess of ingredients and this time it was dates. I did think about adding a new recipe to my extensive sticky date recipe collection  but in the end I decided that dates and chocolate would be a winning combination and by golly, I was right!  
This recipe calls for melted chocolate rather than cocoa in the batter and it’s the chocolate that gives the cake it’s deep, rich flavour.
As you know all my teeth are sweet and I think that too much chocolate is a paradox, so I put some value added chocolate chips in this loaf too. I love that they’re all squidgy, melty and delicious, adding both taste and texture to every slice and making a napkin a necessity! 
If you want a change from chocolate (I don’t know why that would be, but just in case,) you can chuck some nuts in too. Whatever you do, don’t skip the demerara sugar on the top, it gives the crust the most delicious crunch. 
The chocolate and the dates give the loaf such a rich flavour and wonderful texture you won’t need to butter it, it’s stand alone delicious! 
Do you think there is a thing as too much chocolate" What would you choose, more nuts or more chocolate"!

Ingredients
100g pitted dates, chopped
150ml boiling water
225g plain flour
40g caster sug...