4.47 from 39 votes

Oatmeal Cake

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

An oatmeal cake in a pan with a serving spatula on top.


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
    Ingredients on a marble counter.

    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.
    Collage of mixing ingredients in a bowl.
    • Step Four: Add in eggs and beat until fluffy.
    • Step Five: Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a large bowl.
    Collage of mixing ingredients in a 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.
    Collage of mixing ingredients in a bowl and adding to a baking pan.

    How to Make The Topping

    • Step One: In a medium bowl, stir together butter, brown sugar, coconut, walnuts, cream, and vanilla extract.
    Collage of mixing ingredients in a bowl.
    • 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.
    Collage of spreading the topping on the cake.

    What to Serve with It

    A serving spatula with a slice of 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.
    A piece of cake being served on a plate with a spatula.

    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.

    A slice of cake on a plate.

    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.
    A piece of cake on a fork.

    FAQ

    Can I use a different topping?

    Yes, for sure, you could use cream cheese frosting, vanilla frosting, or sprinkle on powdered sugar.

    Can oatmeal cake be served warm, or is it better at room temperature?

    It’s a matter of personal preference if you serve it warm or at room temperature. I love it served warm. The cake is softer and more tender. You can warm the slices in the microwave for a few seconds to gently heat them.

    Oatmeal Desserts

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    4.47 from 39 votes

    Oatmeal Cake

    Created by Stacie Vaughan
    Servings 8
    Prep Time 25 minutes
    Cook Time 45 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
    This incredibly moist vintage cake is covered in a sweet, buttery crunchy topping that is out of this world!

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    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 cup quick cooking oats or rolled oats
    • 1 ⅓ cup boiling water
    • ½ cup unsalted butter
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 2 eggs beaten
    • 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp salt

    Topping

    • 6 tbsp unsalted butter melted
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut
    • ½ cup walnuts chopped
    • ¼ cup cream
    • ½ tsp vanilla extract

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
    • Pour boiling water over the oats in a small bowl. Stir together and then let cool.
    • Cream together butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add in eggs and beat until fluffy.
    • Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into a large bowl.
    • Add dry ingredients alternately with oatmeal to butter mixture and stir to combine.
    • Spread mixture into baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the centre clean.

    Topping

    • In a medium bowl, stir together butter, brown sugar, coconut, walnuts, cream and vanilla extract.
    • Spread mixture on top of cooked cake. Broil 4 inches from the burner until just melted and bubbly, about 2 minutes.
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    Nutrition

    Serving: 1piece | Calories: 647kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 655mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 61g

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Course Desserts
    Cuisine American
    Keyword cake, oatmeal

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    4.47 from 39 votes (35 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




    16 Comments

    1. 5 stars
      I have made this many times! It never disappoints.

    2. The recipe sounds great. I was trying to find something different to make with oats other than cookies.
      This looks great. I’m curious if I can cut back on some of the sugar.

      Thank you

    3. Barbara Arnett says:

      5 stars
      My family loves it! Says it is the best cake!

    4. 5 stars
      Absolutely delicious and just like I remembered at Grandma’s house! Thank you.

      If I had to change or add anything it would be to increase the topping to 1 and 1/2 times recipe. Maybe I’m just greedy for topping. I would’ve liked just a scoch more. Otherwise PERFECT!!!!

    5. This was so easy to make! My husband lo es it! I wouldn’t change a thing about this rec.

    6. Cat Szuchnicki says:

      Can you use regular rolled oats instead of quick oats? If so, do I just cook them like regular (on stovetop with water) before adding to recipe? Thanks!

    7. Joyce Helman says:

      I LOVE this cake!! My mom used to make it for me for my b-day!
      I have an elec oven in the wall, so cant put it “under” the broiler..
      any suggestions?

    8. Sounds delicious! What would be a good substitute for coconut and walnuts? A family member is allergic. Thanks!

        1. I make an oatmeal pie that takes 1 cup oats instead of pecans. Think I will try it with this cake recipe! Sounds delicious!

    9. The topping calls for cream. Is that coffee cream or heavy cream?

    10. Saundra L. Weed says:

      The oatmeal cake tastes great with a cream cheese frosting, whipped cream, ice cream, or caramel topping if you don’t have the time or ingredients to make the original topping.

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