birthdays and broiled bliss

I don't know about you, but I like baking my own birthday cake. I can make exactly what I want exactly how I want it.


This birthday was no exception.

It seems like I crave a different cake every year. Last year, it was all about carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. This year, I went in a completely different direction--oatmeal cake with broiled coconut topping.

It might not sound spectacular, but it is. Oh, how it is. The cake is moist and rife with cinnamon, while the topping consists of crunchy toasted coconut and rich caramel goo.


Can we please talk about the pool of bubbly caramel goodness at the bottom there?
Good googa mooga.
I hope I got that piece.

Yeah, I was satisfied--it was a good birthday. I'm sorry there's no money shot of a piece, but every time I cut a slab for myself, I simply couldn't pause for even a second before digging in.

Oatmeal Cake with Broiled Coconut Topping
Cake:
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Coconut Topping:
1/2 cup milk
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup butter
1 cup flaked coconut

For the cake, preheat oven to 325F and grease a 9x13" cake pan.
Combine oats and boiling water, stirring to blend well. Let stand 20 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars. Add the eggs, vanilla, and cooled oatmeal mixture, beating until well blended.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add to the creamed mixture, beating until smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 30-35 minutes.

While the cake is baking, prepare the topping. Combine the milk, butter, and brown sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in the coconut. When the cake comes out of the oven, poke several holes in it with the tines of a fork and immediately spread the topping over the hot cake. Turn the broiler on and return the cake to oven for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the coconut is nicely toasted. Although it's probably best to let the cake cool before cutting into it, no harm is done in digging some out immediately, topping it with a large portion of butter pecan ice cream, and shoveling it into one's mouth. No harm at all.