Instructions: In a large bowl, pour water over oatmeal and let cool. Combine sugar, shortening, cinnamon, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix well and add to cooled oatmeal mixture. Add flour and baking soda. Mix well. Pour batter into a greased 8x8 inch baking pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Make topping by placing all the topping ingredients in a saucepan. Over medium heat, stir until butter and sugar are melted.

Place topping on cake while cake is still warm. Cut into 9 pieces. Serve and enjoy.

NOTES : This is the original version I downloaded from the Internet. Its simply the best coffee cake we have ever enjoyed, although very, very high in fat and calories. Weve come up with a lower-fat version, but the fat content is still quite high. (Sigh!) Since it takes a while to let the oatmeal cool, I make the cake and bake it the night before. Then in the morning I cut it into serving-size pieces, microwave a few seconds, and its ready.

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