Famous Haws Family Oatmeal Cake

So, my parents have been making this cake for ages. When I was growing up, it was easily the most requested birthday cake in the house, served with vanilla ice cream. It has a warm moist cake topped with crispy, chewy, toasted coconut and nut topping. It has LOVE written all over it. Enjoy!

Cake:

1-1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 to 1 tsp. nutmeg

In a medium bowl, combine oats and salt. Add boiling water and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, eggs and sugar. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg and add to creamed mixture, beating well. Fold in oat mixture. Spread in greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 30-35 mins. or until cake passes toothpick test.

while cake is cooling, make topping:

Topping for Oatmeal Cake: (My dad loves the topping the most, so he likes to use 1-1/2 times this topping recipe, but that is totally up to you).

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup flaked coconut
6 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 cup chopped nuts

In a saucepan, combine ingredients over medium heat until combined and bubbly. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla, and spread on cake. Place under broiler in oven until toasted and golden brown.