By Request
Nut-topped oatmeal cake
is just like ‘Mom’ makesSandy Kodama is known as "Mom," not just to her six children, but also to the staff and many of the customers at Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar.
Her son, D.K., owns the place, and she's his secret weapon.
She greets customers, serves tables, pours water, helps train the kitchen staff and cooks, too. Most important to the guys in the Star-Bulletin newsroom, she usually bakes oatmeal cake on Fridays. It's a dense, flavorful cake, but what the guys like is the topping -- a hearty, heavy mixture of coconut, walnuts and macadamia nuts.
This recipe's for them.
Lucky for us, since the Star-Bulletin moved to Restaurant Row 18 months ago, Sansei has become our corner restaurant, so popping out for a slice of cake is easy (Mom's on vacation this week, though).
Those of you not as well-situated can try this for yourself.
Before we get started, I must point out that this cake is nothing like the Starbucks' oatcake, which has been the subject of many requests to this column. Any talk of oatcakes tends to bring out more requests -- but it won't help to ask. Starbucks declines to share.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan.Sansei Oatmeal Cake
1-1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup oatmeal (not instant)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, well-beaten
1/2 cup butter
1-1/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
>> Topping:
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts (optional)Pour water over oatmeal and let stand 20 minutes. Add sugars, eggs and butter to oatmeal.
Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir into oatmeal mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 30 minutes.
Combine topping ingredients and spread over baked cake. Place under broiler until bubbly and golden. Serves 12.
Approximate nutrient analysis per slice (with macadamia nuts): 550 calories, 31 g total fat, 13 g saturated fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 470 mg sodium, 66 g carbohydrate, 6 g protein.* Food Stuffs: Morsels
Send queries along with name and phone number to:
"By Request," Honolulu Star-Bulletin,
500 Ala Moana, No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813.
Or send e-mail to bshimabukuro@starbulletin.com
Asterisk (*) after nutritional analyses in the
Body & Soul section indicates calculations by
Joannie Dobbs of Exploring New Concepts,
a nutritional consulting firm.
