Orange Date Cake

Ingredients:

1       - cup butter or margarine, softened
2       - cups sugar
4       - large eggs
4       - cups all-purpose flour, divided
1       - teaspoon baking soda
1/2    - teaspoon salt
1 1/3 - cups buttermilk
1 1/2 - tablespoons grated orange rind, divided
1       - cup chopped pecans
1       - cup chopped dates
1       - cup sugar
1/2    - cup orange juice
Procedure:

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer about 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add 2 cups sugar, beating at medium speed 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.
Combine 3 3/4 cups flour, soda, and salt, add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in 1 tablespoon orange rind.
Combine pecans, dates, and remaining 1/4 cup flour, salt into batter.
Spoon batter into a greased and floured 10-ince tube pan.
Bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Combine 1 cup sugar, orange juice, and remaining 1/2 tablespoon orange rind in a small saucepan, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves.
Pour glaze over warm cake, cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan, let cool completely on wire rack.