Autumn Cake with Sticky Coconut Pecan Icing

1 cup rolled oats (not quick or instant)
1 cup boiling water
¼ cup buttermilk
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp ginger
¼ tsp cardamom
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350F. Coat two 8 inch round cake pans with non-stick spray, line with parchment, and spray again.
Combine oats, water, buttermilk and spices in a bowl, let stand for 15 minutes.
Cream butter with both sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat to incorporate. Blend flour, baking soda and salt into butter mixture just until combined, then add oat mixture.
Divide batter into prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out clean.
Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert cakes onto the rack, lift off the pans, and peel away parchment. Cool layers completely before frosting.

Sticky Coconut Pecan Icing
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
¾ cup pecans halves
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup heavy cream
1 stick unsalted butter, cubed
3 egg yolks
Generous pinch of salt
1 Tbsp dark rum
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F.
Toast coconut for 10-12 minutes until quite dark. On a separate baking sheet, toast pecans for 15 minutes or until brown and fragrant. Coarsely chop pecans and set aside with coconut.

Simmer brown sugar, cream, butter, yolks and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Cook about 8 minutes, or until mixture thickens.

Off heat, add rum and vanilla. Cool until warm to the touch, then stir in coconut and pecans.

Assemble the cake on a serving platter. Spread half of the frosting over the bottom cake layer. Add the second cake layer and carefully spread the remainder of the frosting over the top. No need for decorating or icing the sides of this rustic cake!