This old-fashioned Oatmeal Cake might not win any beauty awards, but one bite and it will instantly become a family favorite!
Any recipe with oats is a hit at our house – including these Oatmeal Raisin Muffins and these Oatmeal Cookies.
If you’ve been a reader here at Taste and Tell for awhile, you’ll probably know that I’m a fan of the old-fashioned, under-appreciated recipes.
The ones that may not look like much, but have a permanent spot in your recipe book. And the ones that most likely could be found in your grandmother’s recipe book.
This Oatmeal Cake definitely fits the bill.
This is one of those cakes that has been passed down through the generations. It’s not trendy or beautiful – but one bite and you’ll be hooked.
Believe me – it’s hard to stop at one slice!
Ingredients
- Water: You will need to soak the oats in water before adding them. Using warm water helps the oats to soften faster, and the excess liquid goes into the cake helping to keep it nice and moist.
- Oats: I have only tested this recipe with old fashioned oats. I would guess that quick oats would work, but I have not personally tried them.
- Sugar: You need both brown sugar and granulated sugar. The brown sugar goes into both the cake and the topping.
- Butter: I like to use unsalted butter so that I can better control the amount of salt. You’ll need softened butter for the cake, and then more butter for the topping.
- Eggs: Use large eggs, and bring them to room temperature for the best results.
- Flour: I have only tested this recipe personally with all-purpose flour, but have had readers make the cake successfully with gluten-free flour.
- Cinnamon: The cake doesn’t have a strong cinnamon flavor, but it is the perfect background flavor.
- Baking Soda: This will give the cake it’s lift and texture.
- Salt: The salt will balance the flavors.
- Milk: You just need a little bit of milk for the topping. I use 2%, but you could easily use whatever you have on hand, including non-dairy milk.
- Coconut: I use sweetened, shredded coconut for the topping. You could also use unsweetened coconut to make it a little less sweet.
How to Make Oatmeal Cake
STEP 1: Soak the oats in the warm water while you are preparing the batter.
STEP 2: Combine the butter and both sugars in a large bowl and cream until fully combined. Then add in the eggs and beat again until smooth.
STEP 3: Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. You want to make sure these are fully combined.
STEP 4: Add half of the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture and mix. Then add the soaked oatmeal and stir. Finally, mix in the remaining flour mixture. Stir this all together until fully combined.
STEP 5: Add the batter to a cake pan that has been greased. Bake the cake until a tester inserted in the middle comes out with just a few crumbs.
STEP 6: To make the topping, combine the butter, brown sugar, and milk in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Boil this for 1 minute.
STEP 7: Stir in the coconut.
STEP 8: Pour the mixture over the top of the baked cake. Place the cake under the broiler and broil for 1 minute. The topping will harden up just a bit. Let the cake cool before serving.
Oatmeal Cake Video
If you want to see how this cake is made, check out the video above.
Tips and Tricks
Don’t love coconut? Many readers have used nuts instead of coconut.
A few readers have also skipped the topping and added a cream cheese frosting instead.
This cake will last few days, stored covered in the refrigerator. That is – as long as it isn’t eater faster than that!
Many readers have also said that they don’t cook the topping, but just mix it all together well and broil it for a minute or two.
More Easy Family Favorite Cakes
Pumpkin Pie Cake
Cinnamon Roll Sheet Cake
Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
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Oatmeal Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 1/2 cups hot water
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 cup coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine the water and the oatmeal and allow to soak while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Cream together the butter and both sugars. Beat in the eggs. In another bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add half of the flour to the creamed butter mixture, followed by the soaked oatmeal, then the remaining flour, mixing between additions. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake until set, 35-40 minutes.
- For the topping, turn the oven to broil. Combine the butter, brown sugar and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, while stirring. Boil for one minute. Stir in the coconut. Pour over the cake, spread, then broil for one minute.
cari says
Wow! Made it exactly as listed! Wonderful! I’m blown away! Thank you so much!
janelle says
You say Oatmeal. Does this mean I use old fashioned rolled oats?
Deborah says
Yep!
Thecla says
OMG! This is soooo good! I just made it and it isn’t even cool and I’ve eaten to big pieces. Houston we have a problem!
Barb says
Oh my goodness! This is the tastiest, ugliest cake I have ever had/made. I’ve already written (actual pen and paper!) this recipe down in MY family cookbook.
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe
Deborah says
Haha – it definitely isn’t the prettiest, but I often think the ugliest things are the tastiest!! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Kellyinthekitchen says
This truly was one amazing cake! Gotta admit I fiddled with it a bit and added three diced apples and 1/4 c golden raisins to the batter. Then decided to add pecans to the topping. The hubby, kids and neighbor all declared it to be 5 star restaurant quality! Thank you so much for sharing!
Deborah says
Love your changes – so glad it was a hit!!
Cathy says
I’ve just made your cake. It is just yummy. I’m hoping it will last till tomorrow but my daughter is chomping through it. It is just delicious. The topping doesn’t seem to be at all grainy. Thank you for a very successful recipe.
Deborah says
Yay – so glad you loved it! That’s a hard cake to stay away from!! 😉
Susan says
It was AMAZING! easy, very sweet, a big hit! Thank you!
denise says
sounds delicious…I want to make this…but can someone please clarify…what does 1 cup of coconut refer to? coconut milk ? cream of coconut …thanks!!
Deborah says
It is sweetened shredded coconut flakes.
Brad G says
My grandmother made a cake like this and it was GREAT!!! Thanks for giving me the inspiration to make it.
Emily says
I was just wondering how sweet this cake is, my family loves different deserts; but not if they are too sweet. I really want to make this, but don’t want it to go to waste.
Karen says
Made this recipe a few weeks ago. We loved it so much I’m making another tonight. A great fall treat!! Thanks!
Deborah says
I’m so glad you loved it – it has definitely become a favorite here!!
Lisa says
Can you make this ahead of time? Or is this best eaten fresh. I am making a few sheet cakes for a party coming up and wanted to do some prep. I know i could go w/ a tried and true Texas Sheet Cake but this looks so good!
Deborah says
I think it would be fine made ahead of time. In fact, I think it actually got better as it sat (even though it didn’t last very long!!)
Peggy says
I need to dust of this recipe my husband used to ask for it for his birthday. I add mixed nuts to the topping it is soooo good.
Kim Ham says
Can you make the cake ahead of time and then add the topping later?
Deborah says
I think that would be fine.
Cindy says
This is the only recipe I have that is written in my grandmother’s handwriting. Her’s was called “Lazy Daisy Oatmeal Cake.” It is my family’s favorite cake. To address the topping becoming hard, don’t boil the ingredients for the topping. My recipe just calls for the topping to be spooned on top of the cake and then broiled. I broil it until it is bubbly and somewhat browned. My topping calls for: 1 stick of melted margarine, 1 cup of packed brown sugar, 6 tablespoons of milk, 1 cup of chopped pecans, 1 1/2 cups of coconut. Mix all these ingredients in a bowl and then carefully spoon over the warm cake. Then broil. Hope this helps.
Shirley says
How long did u broil it?
Deborah says
You’ll only broil it for about 1 minute.
Kim says
One of the easiest cakes ever, I served mine warm and placed a dab of cream cheese frosting then plop my warm cake on top, so good warm