Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Lightly grease and flour one 10 inch tube pan.

Cream margarine and sugar until smooth in a mixing basin. One at a time, beat well after each addition of an egg. Add the buttermilk-dissolved baking soda to the whipped mixture.

Dates, orange slices, and nuts should all be added to a big basin of flour. To coat each piece, stir. To the creamed mixture, add the flour mixture and coconut. This results in a very firm dough, thus a wooden spoon will be needed to stir.

In the tube pan, pour the batter. 2 1/2 to 3 hours for baking Orange juice and confectioners' sugar should be combined and poured over hot cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. Overnight stand in pan.