This cake is really good especially after it cools completely, and all of the topping have had a chance to sink in. It is a dense cake, almost brownie like in texture and has a crunchy topping which combines textures and flavor profiles in different ways that are unexpected when it cools and sits overnight.

Ingredients: 

• Blood Orange Olive Oil for greasing the pan 
• 1 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 tsp Baking Soda 
• 1 cup Old fashioned Oats
• 1/2 cup (stick) unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 cup brown sugar 
• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract 
• 2 Large eggs, room temp
• 1 mashed banana (optional and not in the original recipe)
• 1 1/3 cups All - Purpose flour 
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon but you know I added a little more
• Nutmeg (optional)
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt 

Topping (it will soak into the cake)

• 1 cup Coconut (I used unsweetened)
• 1/2 stick butter 
• 1 cup Brown sugar 
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts 
• 1/4 cup Milk 

 Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375 F. 

Grease a 9x13 glass pan with Blood orange olive oil or your preferred method of greasing. 

For cake combine oatmeal, baking soda and water in a bowl and let it sit for 20 minutes. 

Cream butter and sugars together. Beat in eggs. Stir in the mash banana, oatmeal & vanilla.  Add the flour and cinnamon, mixing by hand to combine. 

Pour into the greased pan and cook for 35 minutes. 

Topping: 

Combine all of the ingredients in a sauce pan and heat on low flame to melt. Spread over a warm cake. Place the cake with the toppings on it in the oven on low broil until bubbles form and then remove it. This is fast so don't walk around the house while this phase is happening. 

Recipe inspired by Souhern Living Magazine page 84: Ocober 2023