Sticky Coconut Pecan Spice Cake

Have I ever said how much I LOVE coconut, pecans and caramel, and cake... and YUMMO??? Well, when I ran across this recipe here and I had to try it. And it was delish! The spice cake is from scratch, and the frosting reminds me of German Chocolate cake, only you toast the coconut and pecans ahead of time and it's so delicious. You MUST give this cake a try. We served ours with Ready whip but it's great with ice cream. I didn't wait for my cake to cool completely... it was slightly warm when I iced it. YUM!

Sticky Coconut Pecan Spice Cake
makes 1(8-inch) 2- layer cake
For the Cake:
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom (I used Jamaican Allspice, didn't have Cardamom)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 Tablespoons (4-ounces) butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 extra large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Icing:
1-1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup pecan halves
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 Tablespoons (4-ounces) butter, cubed
3 extra large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Whipped Cream or Ice cream to go on  the warm cake when serving

For the Cake:
Toast your coconut and pecans according to the directions for the icing below. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350º F.  Lightly spray two 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray and line with rounds of parchment; set aside. ( I used Wilton's Cake release, just brush on pan, then you don't need parchment paper).
In a medium bowl, combine oats, water, buttermilk, and spices; let stand for 15 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars until blended, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs and vanilla; beat to incorporate.  Add the flour mixture and beat just until combined.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the oat mixture; beat until combined.  Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack and cool completely. (Mine was slightly warm)
For the Icing
Preheat the oven to 350º F.  Toast coconut on a baking sheet until browned; stirring occasionally, about 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.  Toast pecans on a separate baking sheet until fragrant, about 10-12 minutes. Coarsely chop pecans when cooled; set aside with coconut.
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, simmer brown sugar, cream, butter, yolks, and salt, stirring constantly.  Cook until mixture thickens, about 8-10 minutes.  Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Cool until barely warm to the touch, then fold in the coconut and pecans. Divide the icing between the layers, spreading to the edges. 
 Slice the cake and serve with dollops of Whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.  Enjoy!