Birthday Week Cake-A-Day: Oatmeal Cake

This week I'm celebrating the birthday season at our home.  In honor of all the birthdays in our family, I'll be baking some of our all time favorites.  We're calling this week Cake-A-Day Week. 

Today we started out with one of our all-time favorites: Oatmeal Cake.  Now when you first hear oatmeal, you may not be thinking what I'm thinking.  My mind is trained.  When I hear Oatmeal Cake the best, tastiest memories come to mind.  Words like moist, filling, delicious, caramel, coconut, classic, tradition, unbelievable, one more bite, Mmmmm... describe Oatmeal Cake.  Oatmeal Cake is one dessert I eat and actually make noise when consuming.  Mmmmm....ummm...so good!  It's like my mouth, brain, and stomach are all in complete agreement when having Oatmeal Cake. 

This recipe came from a long time family friend.  Actually the woman who cared for me at a day care gave it to my mom and the rest is history.  I hope you have a chance to try it and it may just become a family classic for you too.

Oatmeal Cake

1 7/8 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cup oatmeal




I know 1 7/8 cup water sounds strange, but it works.  Just look for the halfway mark between 1 3/4 and 2 cups.




Add oats to boiling water



Stir and let stand for about 20 minutes

3/4 cup butter (I only use REAL butter)
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs




Brown Sugar, Sugar, Eggs and Real Butter



Soften butter in mixer

Add sugars

Combine sugars and butter well

Sugars and butter

sugars and butter mixed thoroughly

Add eggs

Mix until combined

Mixed butter, sugars and eggs

2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons soda
3/4 teaspoons salt

Measure flour by dip-level-pour method

Salt, soda, and flour

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl

Add flour mixture alternately with oatmeal mixture

First portion of flour mixed in, now add 1/3 of oatmeal mixture.  Repeat alternating flour and oatmeal.

Flour...Oatmeal...Flour...Oatmeal

Finished Batter

Pour into greased and floured 9 X 13 baking dish

Nice batter

Ready for the oven (350 degrees)

Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean

Bake 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees

Just out of the oven.  Let cake cool.  After cake has cooled, make the frosting.

Frosting

1 cube butter (1/2 cup) melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup coconut (flaked, sweetened)
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 t. vanilla

Melt butter in a saucepan

After butter has melted, add the brown sugar



Add flaked coconut and evaporated milk



Preheat Broiler then place frosted cake under broiler for about a minute

Keep your eye on the cake.  It'll turn golden brown very quickly.

Finished!  So beautiful.  Enjoy!