When we lived in Taranaki some 35 or so years ago I often made this delicious cake.
Back then there was no internet so we just thought of it as "our" cake that we'd shared amongst friends, but as I look up oatmeal cake now I realise that it's a tried & true old fashioned fave from way back further.
Our recipe has been stored in a handwritten cookbook all these years & I have just made it again for Rob's birthday. I don't think I'd change anything.
I have always preferred baking that was more "wholesome food" than a sweet treat, so in making a comparison with online recipes I had already halved the sugar content & it is more than sweet enough.
To make use of the feijoas of the season & to add interest & moistness to the cake I began adding the fruit to the mix. I'm sure apple would be good too.
Nice & simple:
In to a large bowl add:
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup of soft brown sugar
1 cup of boiling water
1/2 cup or around 100 grams butter
a pinch of salt, 1 tsp vanilla essence
Stir together & leave to do it's thing for 20 minutes or so
Add 2 eggs- mix
1 cup of flour & 1 rounded tsp baking powder
1 cup dried fruit & 1 cup chopped feijoas
Mix & pour in to a lined or greased cake tin.
Mine was around about a 20 cm tin
Bake in a moderate oven for 50 minutes to an hour.
Do the old skewer test to make sure it's cooked in the middle.
While the cake is cooling make the topping. Such a tasty treat that makes all the difference to this cake.
Put 100 grams butter, 2 tbsps cream & 1/2 cup brown sugar in to a pot & cook stirring until it is golden & caramelized.
Add 1 1/2 cups of coconut. Fine coconut is good or a mix of fine & shredded.
Stir & allow to cool. While it is still workable spread over the cake.
Some passionfruit pulp is a nice tangy edition to the topping if you have it.
Summary ingredients for the cake:
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup of soft brown sugar
1 cup of boiling water
1/2 cup or around 100 grams butter
Pinch of salt, 1 tsp vanilla essence, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger
2 eggs
1 cup of flour & 1 rounded tsp baking powder
1 cup dried fruit
1 cup chopped feijoas or apple
Topping:
100 grams butter
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
2 tbsps cream
1 1/2 cups coconut
Catherine X
