Cranberry Oat Spice Cake with Coconut, Chocolate, and Pecans

Each year when my dance teacher has her birthday, all the girls try to put together a small celebration. I know you may think that having birthday cake during ballet class is a little odd, but we really like our teacher and want to celebrate with her. I always volunteer to make her cake, since that’s my specialty. She loves the baked goods that I bring her so why not make something just for her?

Transportation is a bit of a challenge, and when that is the case I often opt for a Bundt cake. They come together beautifully, travel well, and look great. One of the dancers brings her young daughters to take class with us and the 8 year old exclaimed “It looks like a giant donut!” She’s such a fun kid. I guess it does look like a big donut, I just never really thought about it.

This Bundt combines a lot of flavors: oat, chocolate, pecans, coconut, cinnamon. They are FANTASTIC together! This cake is very moist, but with added crunch from the nuts, coconut and chocolate. The icing gives it that extra touch of sweetness at the end. Everyone loved the cake and it was nice to be able to sit and chat with my dance friends. This cake would be a perfect addition to any fall gathering.

Cranberry Oat Spice Cake with Coconut, Chocolate, and Pecans

1 cup dry cranberries

1 cup hot water

2 cups flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon mace

⅛ teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 cup buttermilk

¼ cup butter, melted

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

½ cup shredded coconut

½ cup chopped pecans

½ cup rolled oats

½ cup chocolate chips

2 cups powdered sugar

¼ cup butter, melted

2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon water

½ teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted

2 tablespoons shredded coconut, toasted

½ ounce bittersweet chocolate

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with non-stick spray.

In a small bowl combine the dried cranberries with the hot water. Allow to stand for 15 minutes and then drain.

In a large mixer bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, mace, and nutmeg. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add the sugar and brown sugar and mix well. Add the buttermilk, butter, oil, vanilla, and eggs and mix until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Add the cranberries, coconut, pecans, oats, and chocolate chips and mix until everything is fully combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the cake starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.

Make the icing: combine the powdered sugar, butter, milk, water, vanilla, and cinnamon. Mix until smooth. The icing should be fairly thick.

   

Spoon the icing over the cake, letting it run down the sides. While the icing is still wet garnish the top of the cake with the pecans, coconut, and grate the chocolate over the top.

Recipe from Evil Shenanigans