Oatmeal Cake with Brown Sugar Oatmeal Icing

When I was young, I had high cholesterol, so I went on a bran and oatmeal diet.  I still can't bring myself to cook with bran.  Oatmeal has always had its place though, in desserts.  Then recently, after a day feasting on pizza, grilled cheese and waffles (not in that order necessarily) I had blood work and my cholesterol was slightly elevated again.
I am hoping that ingesting copious amount of this cake will lower it, because I ate several slices.  Oatmeal for breakfast?  Certainly.  And for dessert too!  Somehow, it makes desserts healthy, I am sure.
This cake has been in my family for a long time and I am not sure where my mom got the recipe, but it has always been a family favorite. Super moist and dense and go ahead and mash your face in it.
It is like an oatmeal cookie in cake form.  Except it has a delicious brown sugar warm icing that is like candy over the top.  You could use the any leftover icing as a mask and attempt to lick it off your face.  I am sure my kids would just love to watch that trick.  Of course, I am not serious...  because the icing will barely make it on the cake, and the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan will surely be devoured, before it can make it to your face as a mask. 

OATMEAL CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

Don't you just love how the pan is crooked in the picture?  I have mad skills, I know.

• 1 1/2 cup oats
• 2 1/4 cup boiling water
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable shortening (or butter)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup raisins (Opt.)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350.   Pour boiling water over oats and let cool. In a med. sized bowl, whisk together flour, salt baking soda and cinnamon.  Cream together the sugars and shortening.  Add the vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated.  Add the oats and blend.  Add the flour mixture and mix until flour disappears.  Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.  Cook at 350 for 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
 Can add chocolate chips to cake for variation.

BROWN SUGAR OATMEAL ICING

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 stick butter, melted
• 4 TBSP evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS:
In a saucepan, melt butter and evaporated milk.  Add brown sugar and bring mixture to a boil.  Boil for 1 minute.  Add coconut, oatmeal and pecans.  Mix and carefully pour over and spread on the cooled cake.
As a variation you can broil the cake to caramelize the top.