Oatmeal Cake

This is one of my all-time favorite desserts. It is from the mother (Cristi Johnson) of one of my best friends. She is perhaps the best baker I know, and this is one of her classics!

• 1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
• 1 ¼ cups boiling water
• ½ cup margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/3 cup sifted flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix oats, boiling water and margarine in bowl. Let stand for 20 minutes.
While waiting: Mix all dry ingredients in large bowl.
Then add oatmeal mixture, eggs, and vanilla to dry ingredients. Beat until smooth. Add chopped nuts.
Bake in greased (but not floured) 9"x13" pan at 350° for 45 minutes.

Topping:
I prefer to use 1½x what the original recipe calls for. (I'll list the quantities from the original recipes in parenthesis.)

• ½ cup butter (1/3 cup)
• 1 cup brown sugar (2/3 cup)
• 1 ½ cups coconut (1 cup)
• ¾ cup chopped nuts (1/2 cup)—I prefer pecans for the topping
• 9 Tblsp. cream (6 Tblsp.)

Heat and mix the above ingredients in saucepan until a little bubbly around the edges.

When cake is done, remove from oven and cover with topping. Brown lightly in broiler.