Oatmeal Pumpkin Cake with Pecan Glaze

This cake is an old favorite that’s been adapted just a bit to fit into the season. Oatmeal Pumpkin Cake with Pecan Glaze is a great fall dessert. The oatmeal adds wonderful texture, and the pumpkin flavor pairs perfectly with the sweet pecans.

A seasonal discovery

During a recent visit home, the leaves were beginning to change from green to crimson and golden orange, and there was a chill in the air – my favorite time of year! Seemed like the perfect time to think about baking goodies. My sister talked about the oatmeal cake that our beloved childhood neighbor, Mrs. Sutton, would make when we were kids. It sounded like this cake would be ideal to serve during the fall, but I couldn’t remember it.

Shuffling through old recipes at my mom’s house is like searching for – then finding – lost treasures. We finally came across Mrs. Sutton’s recipe, but it still didn’t seem familiar to me, no matter how many times my sister and mom described this dessert.

I remember it well

I brought the recipe home with me to Phoenix, where it felt nothing like fall. Once I sat down to read over the recipe again, I decided that when I made it I would use shortening like the recipe called for, and I thought adding pumpkin to the cake would be a perfect pairing with the oatmeal, brown sugar, and pecans.

As soon as I began to make the cake’s topping, I remembered everything about this cake! Even though my mom always included flaked coconut in the topping and I left it out, I remembered it clearly — how could I ever forget something this delicious? You should make this Oatmeal Pumpkin Cake with Pecan Glaze this fall season for a delicious treat!

Recipe for Oatmeal Pumpkin Cake with Pecan Glaze:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1-1/4 cups boiling water
• 1/2 cup shortening (you can substitute margarine)
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, well beaten
• 2/3 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1-1/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Nonstick cooking spray

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (you can substitute walnuts, and use a bit more if you'd like)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Optional: 1 cup flaked coconut

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Pour boiling water over the rolled oats and let stand for about 20 minutes.
3. Cream the sugars and shortening and the well-beaten eggs.
4. Add the pumpkin puree and mix well.
5. Next add the cooled rolled oats, then the flour mixture, a little at a time. Add the vanilla and mix well.
6. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch glass pan with the nonstick cooking spray, and pour the batter into the pan, spreading out evenly.
7. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly.
8. Prepare the topping by combining the brown sugar, butter, pecans, milk, and vanilla extract, and bring to a boil.
9. Remove from the heat, add the coconut (if using), and stir. Pour the topping over the cake. Place the cake in the oven on broil, just for about a minute or less, to help caramelize the topping.
10. Allow the cake to cool before serving.