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.
Kate Rauch says
I’ve made this and it’s so simply delicious! Thank you!!
Pat says
Neither I nor my family like coconut. Any suggestions for something to substitute for the topping?
Deborah says
Several other commenters said that they have had it with nuts instead of coconut, so that is an option.
Elinore says
So yummy! Next time, I think I will add raisins. I like that it is delicious as is, but has a lot of possibilities, like adding fruit and/or nuts.
Molly says
Not great…either I made a mistake or this is not a great recipe. Too much sugar – I never thought I could say that, but it was like eating spoonfuls of brown sugar out of the bag. No one in my family liked it.
Tracie says
Made this tonight and it is delicious! Will for sure be making it again.
Deborah says
Yay! I’m so glad you liked it!
Toni says
My broiler is kaput. Do you HAVE to broil the toppng?
Deborah says
Nope, you definitely don’t have to. It just makes the topping kind of crunchy. I haven’t tried it without broiling the top, but I’m sure it would still be delicious!
Faya Duncan-Eaden says
I made this cake tonight. It is so moist and delicious. I only wish I had some ice cream or cool whip to put on top. I actually had all ingredients on hand.
Deborah says
yay – so glad you liked it. I love that it’s made from ingredients I always have!
Valla says
This is one of the simplest yet best cake I’ve ever made, the hearty oatmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon and the coconut all come together in perfect harmony of yumminess. Thank you so much for your recipe!
Greetings from Iceland!
Deborah says
I’m so glad it was a hit!
belle says
hello!i was wondering,could you substitute the butter with baking fat(vegetable based)?
Deborah says
I haven’t tried it, but the comment before this one says she used coconut oil and it worked, so I’m guessing you’d have good luck with that!
Cory Ahern says
I made this using organic sugar, and coconut oil instead of butter. I made my own gluten free flour, and subbed that in, and it is amazing!!!!!
Deborah says
I am so glad it turned out so well with those changes. It’s great to know it can be made healthier!
shawna says
This turned out amazing!!! I added a splash of vanilla & some pumpkin pie spice for depth, along with raisins. Yummm
Linda Noyes says
i love the sounds of this recipe and want to make it – what could I substitute for the coconut as I’m not a fan of it – maybe just the topping minus the coconut – worth a try
Deborah says
I would probably just try omitting the coconut.
Kathy Size says: says
I have been making this for years. The only difference is, I just mix the brown sugar, milk,butter ,coconut in a bowl add some chopped walnuts and spread on the cake and toast it under the broiler. I use a couple of tsp.of milk. done in 4-5 min at most.
lori says
Just wondering,,I only have glass 13×9 so if I put under broiler, won’t it break?
Deborah says
I use a glass baking dish and didn’t have any problems. Pyrex does advise against using the broiler, but I’ve never had a problem since it’s only one minute and the pan is completely full.
cari says
How long would this be good for if I did not refrigerate but covered it well and left it out on my counter at room temp?!
Thanks for any info
Cari
Stephanie Marie says
I Just made this recipe it came out Amazing!
The only thing I changed was added a cup of water to the topping while boiling to make it into a syrup and not have that “crunchy” feel. Definitely a house favorite with cream cheese frosting. Thanks! !