Autumn Spice Cake With Sticky Coconut-pecan Icing

Total Time: 2 hrs 35 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats (not quick-cooking or instant)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional, i did not use)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 3/4 cup pecan halves
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 pinch salt, generous
• 1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons sugar

Recipe

• 1 to make the cake: preheat oven to 350 degrees; coat two 8" round cake pans with nonstick spray, line with rounds of parchment, then coat with spray again.
• 2 combine oats, boiling water, buttermilk, and spices in a bowl; let stand for 15 minutes.
• 3 cream butter with both sugars in a second bowl until well blended, about 3 minutes. add the eggs and vanilla; beat to incorporate. (i used food processor).
• 4 blend flour, baking soda, and salt into butter mixture just until combined, then add oat mixture. divide batter between prepared pans.
• 5 bake 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean.
• 6 cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cakes on to the rack, lift off the pans, and peel away the parchment. cool layers completely before frosting.
• 7 to make the frosting: preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• 8 toast coconut on a baking sheet until quite dark, 10-12 minutes.
• 9 toast pecans on a separate baking sheet until brown and fragrant, about 15 minutes.
• 10 coarsely chop pecans; set aside with coconut.
• 11 simmer brown sugar, cream, butter, yolks, and salt in saucepan over medium-low heat. stirring constantly. cook until mixture thickens, about 8 minutes.
• 12 take off heat, add rum and vanilla. cool until warm to the touch, then fold in coconut and pecans.
• 13 divide icing between the layers, spreading it to the edge. just frost in between and then the top. don't worry about sides.
• 14 to make the sweetened sour cream: beat all ingredients to soft peaks in a bowl with a hand mixer. (can be made and chilled up to 1 hour before serving.).
• 15 serve and enjoy!