This is an old recipe that is popular in Amish kitchens. It comes from the classic "stir and bake" tradition. What really makes this cake sing is the topping. A mixture of coconut and brown sugar and butter. You could leave the coconut out. I love coconut but much of my family did not so I actually halved the coconut.
I also added my own twist: 2 heaping tablespoons of peanut butter to the topping. I always love the flavor of oats and peanut butter combined, so I think it was perfect on the cake. My wife was skeptical, but even she said it "grows on you." Hopefully not like a fungus, but like a favorite.
Unfortunately the version of the recipe I had on hand omitted baking powder. I actually caught this omission I always like to give the recipe author the benefit of the doubt so I made it without baking powder and got something that resembled a Flatizza from Subway.
Seeing that this little cake had potential I decided to try again, this time adding baking powder and what resulted was a really nice cake, especially for summer. It's light and fluffy with a wonderful peanutty topping. Here is my end result, a much more pleasant looking dessert. Below is the recipe....absolutely worth a try for your summer picnic!
- 1 c. oats
- 1¼ c. boiling water
- ½ c. shortening
- 1 c. white sugar
- 1 c. brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1½ c. flour
- 1 tsp. soda
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. nutmeg
- TOPPING
- 1 stick of butter (½cup)
- 2 - 3 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 6 oz of evaporated milk (half 12 oz can)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 8 oz flaked coconut
- Mix oats and boiling water; let stand 20 minutes.
- Cream together shortening, sugar, eggs, vanilla and add cooled oats with dry ingredients.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until butter knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Topping: melt the butter until its bubbly, add the brown sugar and bring to a boil, slowly add in the milk and again bring to a boil, remove from the heat, mix in the vanilla and the coconut and frost the warm cake.
- Put back in the oven for 5 minutes.
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