Fruity Oatmeal Cake

This cake uses fruit juice for the sugar and makes a nice cake. It is sort of like the old oatmeal cake that we used to love, as a family.

Fruity Oatmeal Cake
Yield: 1 9 X13-inch cake 
Ingredients:
2 1/2 c boiling water
2 c Quaker Oats uncooked (quick or old-fashioned)
1 c butter or margarine; melted
2 c applesauce
1 12-ounce can unsweetened apple juice
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
3 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg 
Lazy Daisy Topping
1/2 c butter or margarine; melted
1 c crushed pineapple (pureed) and/or part applesauce (you may use one or both, pineapple is best)
6 tbsp canned evaporated milk
1 c chopped pecans
2 c unsweetened flaked coconut
Instructions:
For cake pour boiling water over oats; stir to combine. Cover and let stand 20 minutes. Beat butter until creamy; gradually add applesauce and juice and beat. Blend in vanilla and eggs. Add oats mixture; blend well. Sift together flour, soda, salt and spices. Add to creamed mixture; blend well. Pour batter into a well-greased and floured 9 X 13 inch square baking pan. Bake in preheated moderate oven (375 F.) 45 to 50  minutes. Do not remove cake from pan. For frosting combine pineapple and milk and cook in a microwave until hot. Stir in nuts and coconut to coat. Spread evenly over cake. (You may broil until frosting becomes bubbly or not depending on how you like your topping.). Serve warm or cold. 

Cocoa oatmeal cake: Increase boiling water to measure 2 2/3 cups in total in above recipe. Use 3 tablespoons cocoa in place of the cinnamon and nutmeg. Prepare and bake as above.