Oatmeal Cake

Oatmeal Cake is an incredibly moist cake, covered in a sweet, buttery, and crunchy topping. It is out of this world delicious!

This oatmeal cake recipe is a beloved dessert that has been passed down through generations. It’s a vintage family favorite recipe that my grandma used to make. Do you agree that Grandma has the BEST recipes? Tried and true. This was a popular cake in its time.

The addition of oatmeal to a cake may sound unusual, but let me tell you that it makes the cake incredibly moist. It’s not dry oats that you are adding. It’s actual cooked oatmeal. Who knew? 

On top of the cake is a mixture of walnuts, coconut, brown sugar, vanilla, butter, and cream. It’s incredibly decadent and, in my opinion, the best part! It reminds me a little of the topping on a German Chocolate Cake…minus the chocolate, of course.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A delicious cake from our family cookbook.
• An old-fashioned recipe passed down from grandma.
• The perfect dessert after any meal.
• A sweet cake with moist crumbs and a sweet crunch topping.
• A simple recipe that’s easy to make.
• Pantry ingredients (nothing fancy here!)

Ingredients

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The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.

• Quick oats or rolled oats
• Boiling water
• Unsalted butter
• Brown sugar – Either dark or light brown sugar is fine.
• White sugar
• ​Large eggs
• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Cinnamon
• Salt

Topping Ingredients

• Unsalted butter
• Brown sugar – Dark or light brown sugar is fine.
  Sweetened shredded coconut
• Walnuts
• Cream – I used half and half (coffee cream).
• Vanilla extract

How to Make Oatmeal Cake

• Step One: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
• Step Two: Pour boiling water over the quick rolled oats in a small bowl. Stir the oat mixture together and then let it cool.
• Step Three: In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and brown sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer.

• Step Four: Add in eggs and beat until fluffy.
• Step Five: Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a large bowl.

• Step Six: Add dry ingredients alternately with oatmeal mixture to the butter mixture and stir to combine.
• Step Seven: Spread mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

How to Make The Topping

• Step One: In a medium bowl, stir together butter, brown sugar, coconut, walnuts, cream, and vanilla extract.

• Step Two: Spread mixture on top of cooked cake. Broil 4 inches from the burner until just melted, bubbly, and golden brown, about 2 minutes.

What to Serve with It

• Add a dollop of whipped cream on top. Try my homemade Cool Whip.
• Drizzle on caramel sauce or butterscotch sauce for extra richness.
• Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
• Add some fresh berries alongside your slice of cake.
• Coffee or tea pairs wonderfully with your extra-moist oatmeal cake.

Variations and Substitutions

• Add chopped fruit to the cake batter. Try chopped apples, bananas, raisins, or dried cranberries.
• Add nuts to the batter mixture. Try chopped walnuts or pecans to give a nutty flavor and crunch.
• Include more warm spices. Add nutmeg or cloves to your dry ingredients, in addition to the cinnamon.
• Incorporate chocolate chips. Stir the chocolate chips into the mixture before baking.
• Replace the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.
• Make a pecan topping. Substitute chopped pecans for the walnuts in the topping.
• Leave out the nuts of the topping if you prefer.
• Substitute whole milk or even skim milk for the cream in the topping. I like the cream for its richness.

Storage Instructions

Let grandma’s oatmeal cake first cool down to room temperature. Then, tightly wrap the cake in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container to prevent condensation and keep it from drying out. 

You can either store it at room temperature if you plan to eat the cake in a day or two. If you want it to keep longer, it’s best to refrigerate. It’ll stay fresh for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

Can I Freeze?

Yes! You can freeze this old-fashioned cake to enjoy later.

​Either wrap up individual slices or the entire cake tightly in plastic wrap. Wrap it again in aluminum foil or place it in a freezer bag/ freezer-safe container. No one wants freezer-burnt cake. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Don’t forget to add the label and date!

When you’re ready to eat again, thaw overnight in the refrigerator or on the countertop for a few hours.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• I’ve used both old-fashioned oats and quick oats in the recipe. I prefer to use old-fashioned oats for the best texture and flavor. However, if all you have is quick-cooking oats, use them instead.
• If you prefer a less sweet cake, you can adjust the sugar used in the recipe.
• Don’t overmix the cake batter. It’ll make your cake tough and dense. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
• Let the cake cool before cutting into slices. It will be easier to cut neatly once the topping has had a chance to set.
• Use a cake tester or toothpick to test for doneness. When the toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake, you’ll know it’s done baking.
• Keep an eye on the cake when the topping is broiling. It will burn quickly, so don’t walk away and leave it unattended.
• Don’t forget to grease the baking pan with either cooking spray or butter so the cake is easy to remove.

Types of Oats

• Rolled oats. They are also called old-fashioned oats and are made by steaming oat groats and then flattening them with large rollers. They have a medium texture and are used in oatmeal, granola, and baking recipes.
• Quick oats. They are sometimes referred to as instant oats or one-minute oats. They are essentially rolled oats that have been processed further to create small, thin flakes. They are pre-cooked and dried, which allows them to cook quickly. They are often used in porridge and no-bake cookies.
• Steel-cut oats. They are also called Irish oats or pinhead oats. They are whole oat groats that have been chopped into smaller pieces with steel blades. They take longer to cook than the other types of oats and have a chewy texture. I don’t recommend using them for this recipe.

FAQ

Oatmeal Desserts

• Oatmeal Pie
• Trail Mix Oatmeal Cookies
• Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Cups
• Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

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