Oatmeal Raisin Pecan Bundt Cake with Caramel Icing

September 3, 2013

Oatmeal-Raisin-Pecan-Bundt-Cake-Barbara-Bakes

A moist, delicious oatmeal spice cake loaded with raisins and pecans, and topped with a sweet caramel icing and crunchy, toasted pecans. Sort of like a cross between an oatmeal cookie and a carrot cake. 

Do you save recipes you’ve clipped from magazines? I have a couple of binders and a bin full of them. This recipe is adapted from a recipe I clipped out of a Cooking Light magazine in 1998. I’ve made it several times but when I was thumbing through this month’s Taste of Home magazine and saw the beautiful Chocolate Spice Cake with Caramel Icing dripping down the side, it reminded me how much I liked this Oatmeal Cake.

Oatmeal-Raisin-Pecan-Bundt-Cake-2-Barbara-Bakes

I changed the Cooking Light recipe to use butter instead of shortening, and sour cream instead of buttermilk because I never have buttermilk on hand. I also added raisins and pecans and changed it into a bundt cake. I made two half size bundts because they cook faster, are the perfect size for dessert, and it fits in a Ziploc freezer bag so I can save one cake for another day.

With the changes I’ve made, it’s not really a light cake any more, but since it’s got oatmeal in it, you could definitely get away with serving it for breakfast without the icing. It’s a super moist cake, with the texture of a carrot cake. It would be fantastic served in the morning with just a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

Oatmeal Raisin Pecan Bundt Cake with Caramel Icing

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted*
  • 1 1/3 cups boiling water
  • 1 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sour cream (I used low fat)
  • 3/4 cup raisins

Caramel Icing

  • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Toast pecans. Combine boiling water and oats in a medium bowl. Set aside to cool, about 20 minutes.

Grease and flour 2 half size or a full size Bundt pan. (I like to use the non-stick spray with flour.)

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, and vanilla at medium speed for 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add oatmeal, beating until blended. Add sour cream and mix on low until blended. Add flour mixture and mix until well combined. Stir in raisins and 3/4 cup chopped pecans.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan(s). Bake half size Bundt for 35 minutes; full size Bundt for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in pans 5 minutes on a wire rack. After 5 minutes invert onto wire rack. Let cool completely before making the icing.

Caramel Icing

In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook 3 minutes; stirring constantly. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in powder sugar and vanilla. Whisk until smooth adding more cream or powdered sugar as needed to make a thin icing. (Icing will thicken as it cools.)

Drizzle the hot icing on top of the cake. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Store the cake loosely covered in refrigerator.

High altitude adjustment: Increase oven to 375º. Reduce granulated and brown sugar to 2/3 cup. Bake for 30 minutes.

*To toast pecans: In a small heavy skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add pecans; cook over medium heat until toasted, about 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.

More fall cakes you might like:

Pumpkin Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Pumpkin Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake

Torta di Mele (Apple Cake)

Torta di Mele (Apple Cake)