Oatmeal Cake

I love a good, protein-packed breakfast. Unfortunately, our chickens and ducks have almost stopped laying eggs.

Yeah, I know. Spring is when chickens kick it into high gear and lay a bazillion eggs. Unfortunately, some stray dogs got into (yes, in) our chicken pens and slaughtered all, yes, all of our chickens. Of course, that leaves us with the ducks. They’re great layers, and we love them, but there are only three of them still laying.

So, not very many egg breakfasts lately. After having oatmeal, cornmeal mush, grits, and cold cereal several mornings in a row, I started scrambling to find some more tasty alternatives. This morning, I made a somewhat more healthy version of one of my favorite desserts – oatmeal cake.

Gabriel liked it – all except the coconut topping, which is funny because that’s my favorite part! That’s pretty typical of us.

Oatmeal Cake

Combine and let sit for 20 minutes:

1 cup oatmeal
1 1/4 cup boiling water

Cream together until fluffy:

1/2 cup coconut oil*
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey**
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla

Add Oatmeal mixture and beat well

Sift together:

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour or GF flour mix
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon

Add to creamed mixture and beat well. Pour into a greased and floured 9×13 cake pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until tests are done.

Coconut Topping

Combine:

1/2 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. butter
1/4 cream or milk
1 c.  shredded coconut
1/2 c. chopped pecans (opt.)

Spread on hot cake and broil for 2-4 minutes until brown. Watch carefully so that it doesn’t burn. I almost always end up nearly burning it anyway.

*The original recipe calls for shortening (yuck!). You could also use butter (yum!).

**The original recipe calls for a cup of white sugar. Since sugar acts as a liquid in baking, I was afraid to take too much out, but this turned out very well, so I think I’ll cut back on the brown sugar as well next time and add more honey and possibly just a tad of water.

Enjoy!

Linked with: A Southern Fairytale, Skip To My Lou, Tip Me Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Hearth And Soul, Blessed With Grace, Tuesdays At The Table, WFMW, Crystal And Co., Real Food Wednesday, Frugally sustainable, Full Plate Thursday, GNOWFGLINS, Thrifty Thursday, Frugal Friday, Weekend Potluck, Sorta Crunchy, Favorite Things Friday, Feed Your soul, Sugar Me Up, Show And Tell, Sweet As Sugar Cookies, Food Adventure Friday Cast Party Newlyweds