Oatmeal Cake

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups boiling water
• 1 cup rolled oats, old fashioned
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup salted butter, melted
• 3 Tbsp milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans, optional

Directions

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees. Coat either a square 9 by 9-inch baking dish or a 7 by 11-inch dish with non-stick cooking spray. Put the oats in a medium bowl, cover them with the boiling water, and leave them to cool.
2. While the oats are cooling, beat the butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, until the mixture looks lighter and airy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then blend in the cooled oats.
3. Scatter the baking soda and salt over the batter, add the flour, and mix just until everything comes together. Scrape the batter into the prepared dish and bake in the heated oven until the cake is barely cooked through, about 30 minutes.
4. While the cake bakes, combine the melted butter, milk, vanilla, brown sugar, coconut, and pecans in a medium bowl.
5. When the cake is cooked through, take it out of the oven and spread the coconut mixture evenly over the top. Switch the oven to broil, place the cake back in the center of the oven, and broil until the topping bubbles and the coconut begins to brown at the edges, about 1 – 2 minutes. Stay close while it broils.
6. Cool the cake on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes, then slice and serve.