Chocolate Oatmeal Cake

From a vintage recipe box found at an estate sale

1 cup rolled oats

1½ cups boiling water

½ cup shortening

1½ cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sifted flour

½ cup cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix rolled oats and boiling

water togather and let cool.

Cream shortening with sugar and

eggs. Add the oatmeal mixture,

along with flour, cocoa, baking

soda, salt, and vanilla. Beat

until smooth. Bake in 8-by-12 in.

pan in 350 degree F. oven for 35

minutes.

Frost with Coconut Icing

1 cup powdered sugar

2 cups coconut

2 tablespoons butter

½ cups ~~coconut~~ milk.

Mix well and boil until thick,

about 6 minutes.

A moist cocoa cake made with soaked rolled oats, finished with a boiled coconut icing

Bakes 35 min350°FTypewritten card

Soak the oats: Mix the rolled oats and boiling water and let cool.
Cream: Cream the shortening with the sugar and eggs.
Mix the batter: Add the oatmeal mixture along with the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Bake: Bake in an 8x12-inch pan at 350°F for 35 minutes.
Make the icing: Mix the powdered sugar, coconut, butter and milk well and boil until thick, about 6 minutes. Frost the cake.

As written: The typist struck out “coconut” before “milk” in the icing, so it’s plain milk. The card says “½ cups,” which we read as ½ cup.

Our suggestion (our note, not part of the card)

8x12 pans are rare now. A 9x13 works, but the cake will be thinner, so start checking at about 28 minutes.
Stir the icing constantly while it boils so it doesn’t scorch, and spread it while it’s still warm.

Recognize this handwriting or recipe? We’d love to know who wrote it.