Pour the water over the dates and soda. Let sit while mixing the other ingredients then add the date mixture. Pour into prepared 20 cm pan and bake in 350 oven 35 min. ICING: 5 tblsp. brown sugar, 5 tblsp. cream, 2 tblsp. butter. Put in saucepan and bring to boil and boil 3 min, remove from heat and cool. I thicken this with icing sugar to spread.