Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake
Published May 11, 2018. Updated January 6, 2020
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Oatmeal Cake is the perfect dessert to make for your mom this weekend! It’s an old fashioned style recipe, like a delicious cake your grandma might have made you growing up. It’s an oatmeal based cake, and since they oats are soaked in boiling water it softens them up perfectly so you end with a moist and tender crumb in every bite.
Love oat recipes? Be sure to try my Oatmeal Cookies too, they’re a reader favorite!
Oatmeal Cake
There are many reasons I love this cake. First, like I said, it reminds me of something my grandma would have made. Second, the taste is simply divine – talk about savoring every bite.
And third could cake get any easier? You don’t even need to make a frosting, and bonus that means you don’t have to wait hours for a cake to cool.
Ingredients Needed for Oatmeal Cake
- Boiling water
- Oats
- Butter
- Brown sugar and white sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon and nutmeg
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Flour
- Milk
- Coconut
How to Make the Best Oatmeal Cake
- 1. First you’ll add the boiling water to the oats and let them soak until the mixture cools.
- 2. Then in a separate mixing bowl (or the bowl of an electric stand mixer) whip together the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy.
- 3. Mix in eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.
- 4. Blend in that cooled oat mixture.
- 5. Sprinkle in baking soda, salt and flour and mix.
- 6. Pour into pan and bake.
- 7. Meanwhile stir together the topping mixture in a mixing bowl.
- 8. Once cake is set add the topping then return to oven and broil for a minute or two.
- 9. Let cool as long as you can handle then cut into slices and serve.
How to Store Oatmeal Cake
- Store oatmeal cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days
- Ir cover and chill in the refrigerator for about 5 days, bring to room temperature before serving.
- Cake can also be frozen for 2 months in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Possible Variations
- If you hate coconut it can be omitted.
- If you don’t like nuts those can be omitted, if you love them feel free to double them up.
- For a more caramely flavor in the cake use all brown sugar and omit the granulated.
- Add raisins if you like raisins in cake.
- Use cream or half and half in place of the milk for even more richness.
- Skip the nutmeg if you don’t have it.
More Cake Recipes to Try
Follow Easy Cooking Zone
Oatmeal Cake
A soft and amazingly moist oatmeal based cake that tastes just like what grandma would have made! It has a delicious spiced flavor and it's finished with a super easy, sweet coconut topping.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups boiling water
- 1 cup (97g) rolled oats (old fashioned)
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (105g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/3 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
Topping
- 1/4 cup salted butter, melted
- 3 Tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (105g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup (85g) sweetened shredded coconut
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray (a 7 by 11-inch dish would work as well).
- Add oats to a medium mixing bowl the pour boiling water over oats, let rest until cool.
- Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer (or use electric stand mixer), whip together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Mix in eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg then mix in cooled oat mixture.
- Sprinkle baking soda and salt across top then pour in flour and mix until combined.
- Pour into prepared baking dish, bake in preheated oven until just cooked through, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile in a medium mixing bowl stir together melted butter, milk, vanilla, brown sugar, coconut, and pecans.
- Remove cake from oven once cooked through and pour and spread mixture evenly over top.
- Preheat oven to broil then return cake to oven (in center) and broil until mixture is bubbly and coconut is just starting to toast on ends, about 1 - 2 minutes (don't walk away from it while broiling!).
- Let cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes then cut into slices and serve.
- Recipe source: inspired by Allrecipes
Nutrition Facts
Oatmeal Cake
Amount Per Serving
Calories 456
Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Cholesterol 58mg19%
Sodium 247mg11%
Potassium 175mg5%
Carbohydrates 66g22%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 32g36%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 405IU8%
Calcium 48mg5%
Iron 2.5mg14%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.