Oatmeal Cake

Barb Drustrup's Oatmeal Cake

Barb Drustrup is a wonderful woman whom I had the pleasure of working with for four years at Clive Elementary school. Unfortunately, she retired at the end of the 2009-2010 school year. I miss her cheery hellos and her observations about people and things. Barb headed up the United Way fundraising drive and each year she made us a yummy meal to thank us for our contributions. Last year she outdid herself with her fabulous vegetable soup, spice cookies w/ pumpkin dip, and this scrumptious oatmeal cake. It's the coconut pecan frosting broiled on top that makes it so, so yummy...
I cut the sugar slightly in this recipe...since I was making it for breakfast. : ) Originally the recipe called for 1 cup each of white and brown sugar, and I reduced that to 3/4 cup of each, which ended up being plenty. If you want to feel like you're being even healthier, you can replace some of the AP flour with whole wheat flour. I've tried 1/2 cup and 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour, and I think 1/2 cup is probably as far as I'd like to go. At any rate, with all that butter and sugar it'll taste good no matter what.

Update: This Oatmeal cake has become a favorite with my family and my husband's extended family. The name of the cake does not do it justice. If you're even the slightest bit interested in trying this recipe, just go for it. You won't be disappointed.

Oatmeal Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 cup margarine or butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup butter (I think melting the butter would work best)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Boil water and then add oatmeal. Remove from heat and let oatmeal sit for 20 minutes.
• Cream margarine or butter, brown sugar and white sugar; add eggs and oatmeal mixture.
• Sift dry ingredients and mix into wet ingredients.
• Spread into a buttered 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
• Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

• Mix frosting ingredients, put on cake, and then put under the broiler until lightly browned. BE SURE TO WATCH IT!
• Remove from oven and allow to cool just about completely before attempting to cut and eat.

Makes one 9 x 13 inch single layer cake--about 12 servings

A piece of Oatmeal Cake. Yum-O.