German Chocolate Oatmeal Cake with Caramel Topping

Amish in origin, this soft, moist cake with a chewy topping is a favorite of Jessica

Weissenbach's family. Jessica shared Marica Adams recipe, that appeared in Cooking From Quilt Country, when I interviewed her for a monthly cooking column that appeared in the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle on April 27, 2010.
It is yummy!

German Chocolate Oatmeal Cake with Caramel Topping     Makes one 9” x 13” cake; 12 to 16 pieces

1 cup quick-cooking oats - not instant 

½ cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

4 oz. (4 squares) German sweet chocolate*, broken into small pieces

1 ¼ cups milk, scalded**

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

¾ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed

¼ cup heavy cream or evaporated milk

½ cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.  Grease a 9” x 13” pan.  (If using a glass dish, lower the heat to 325°.)
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oats, butter, chocolate, and hot milk; cover with a plate and let stand 20 minutes. (This allows the oats to soften, the butter and chocolate bar to soften or melt.)
   
3. Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking soda together.  
4. Add the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and chocolate mixture; mix well.  
   
   
   
   
5. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes or until the top springs back when touched lightly with your finger.  
   
6. Once cake is removed from the oven, spread immediately with the topping and chopped pecans.
   
7. Prepare the Topping:  In a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, mix the butter, brown sugar, and cream; bring to a boil. Stir constantly for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Pour over the hot cake and sprinkle the top of the cake with the pecans.  Cool completely before serving.
   
   
   
   

*Substitute for German Chocolate Bar — I did not have a bar of German Chocolate (dark chocolate bar with added sugar) on hand so I used this substitute: For each 1 oz. of German sweet chocolate use 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (dark cocoa preferred), 4 teaspoons granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil.

**Scalded milk is milk heated just to the boiling point; tiny bubbles will form around the edges of the pan.  Remove the pan from the heat but don’t let it cool.

Recipe without photos . . .

German Chocolate Oatmeal Cake with Caramel Topping     Makes one 9” x 13” cake; 12 to 16 pieces

1 cup quick-cooking oats - not instant 

½ cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

4 oz. (4 squares) German sweet chocolate*, broken into small pieces

1 ¼ cups milk, scalded**

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

¾ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed

¼ cup heavy cream or evaporated milk

½ cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350°.  Grease a 9” x 13” pan.  (If using a glass dish, lower the heat to 325°.)
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oats, butter, chocolate, and hot milk; cover with a plate and let stand 20 minutes. (This allows the oats to soften, the butter and chocolate bar to soften or melt.)
3. Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, granulated sugar, salt, and baking soda together.  
4. Add the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and chocolate mixture; mix well.  
5. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes or until the top springs back when touched lightly with your finger.  
6. Once cake is removed from the oven, spread immediately with the topping and chopped pecans.
7. Prepare the Topping:  In a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, mix the butter, brown sugar, and cream; bring to a boil. Stir constantly for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Pour over the hot cake and sprinkle the top of the cake with the pecans.  Cool completely before serving.

*Substitute for German Chocolate Bar — I did not have a bar of German Chocolate (dark chocolate bar with added sugar) on hand so I used this substitute: For each 1 oz. of German sweet chocolate use 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (dark cocoa preferred), 4 teaspoons granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil.

**Scalded milk is milk heated just to the boiling point; tiny bubbles will form around the edges of the pan.  Remove the pan from the heat but don’t let it cool.