In Scotland, there's a tradition of giving oat cakes to children on New Year's Eve. This is the same land that gave us the traditional song "Auld Lang Syne." This New Year tradition of the oat cake is called Hogmany.
While I couldn't find a genuine recipe for Hogmany cake, I did find one a few years ago that I think comes close. Or at least it comes close enough. 
HogmanycakeWhat's more, this oatmeal cake is good enough to eat all the year around. It's easy and quick. It makes a nice big 9×13 inch pan of moist cake.
I probably should have put this up before New Year's Eve, but that's why I emphasize how good this would be at any time.
Equipment: In addition to the 9×13 baking pan, you'll need two mixing bowls (one for wet and one for dry), a whisk, a spatula, a small bowl (like a cereal bowl), baking cooking spray and the usual measuring spoons and cups including a glass measuring cup that can go in the microwave.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups boiling water. Because I like to cook with filtered water, I put this in a glass measuring cup and heat in the microwave for 3 minutes. You could also use water from a tea kettle. Hot tap water just won't do.
- 1 cup quick cooking oats. I've used original flavored instant oatmeal as well and found it works just fine. Just don't use uncooked rolled oats, they'll leave the cake with a gritty, crunchy texture.
- 1/2 cup butter or vegetable oil. I prefer oil. If you want to keep the fat on this even lower, use 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce.
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, I use the Spenda half-and-half mixture.
- 3/4 cup white sugar. For diabetics, you could use artificial sweetener, but the cake will come out more like a brownie. Your choice.
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. A little extra won't hurt.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Again, a little extra won't hurt. I usually do a heaping teaspoon.
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup raisins. I like raisins, so I double this.
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Directions:
- Pour the boiling water over the oats and let stand for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease one 9×13 inch baking pan.
- Cream the butter or oil with the sugar until light. Beat in the eggs. Then add the oats and vanilla, mixing well.
- Combine the baking soda, salt , cinnamon and flour. Mix until combined. Add the raisins to the flour mixture and coat well.
- Add the raisin and flour mixture and the nuts to the oatmeal mixture and stir to combine. Stir just enough to get all the dry ingredients wet, over mixing makes the cake tough. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 minutes or until a tester or toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
This cake is great all on its own. But it also would be great topped with a little powdered sugar, whipped cream or applesauce.
