Best old-fashioned oatmeal cake recipe! This moist whole-wheat oatmeal cake comes complete with a broiled coconut-nut topping!
This oatmeal cake is one of my favorite cake recipes. My mom made this cake when I was growing up, and it’s the first cake that my oldest son learned to make on his own.
Nostalgia aside, the reason that I love this cake is because it’s very easy to make, it keeps well, and it is incredibly tasty. The cake is made with pantry staples, and it takes just minutes to make.
The cake itself is moist cake, and the delicious caramelized coconut-nut topping really makes the cake special! Give it a try, and it may become a favorite at your house, too!
How to make oatmeal cake
To make the cake, pour boiling water over oatmeal. Let it stand for 20 minutes. With an electric mixer (either hand or stand), beat together butter and sugars. Mix until well-combined.
Add vanilla and eggs. Mix well.
Add oatmeal mixture, and stir to combine. Stir together whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Add to batter in one addition and stir until just combined.
Pour into prepared pan and bake. Toward the end of the baking time, make the topping.
In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, cream or canned milk, nuts, and coconut. Spread the topping on the hot cake. Return to oven and broil until bubbly, about 3-4 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve warm.
Tips
Tips- Oats: Old-fashioned oats are sometimes called “rolled oats”.
- Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe. If you prefer to use unsalted butter, I recommend increasing the salt in the cake to 3/4 teaspoon and adding a couple pinches of salt to the topping.
- Brown sugar: I use light brown sugar in this recipe, but you could use dark brown if you prefer.
- Cream/canned milk: I use either evaporated milk or heavy whipping cream, depending on what I have on hand at the time. I don’t recommend using sweetened condensed milk.
- Pecans: You can use walnuts, if you prefer. If you want to omit the nuts, you can use additional coconut instead. You may find that you need to increase the amount of cream/milk by 1-2 tablespoons if using additional coconut.
- Coconut: I use sweetened shredded coconut. You can use unsweetened if you prefer a less sweet topping.
Storage
StorageThis cake can be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Make-ahead
The cake keeps well, and it can be made a day ahead of time if needed. To make ahead of time, bake the cake as-directed.
Then, let the cake cool to room temperature. Once cooled, wrap tightly with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
More recipes made with oats!
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Oatmeal Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ½ cups boiling water
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Coconut-Brown Sugar Topping
- 1/4 cup butter (melted)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 3 tablespoons cream or canned milk
- 1/2 cup pecans (chopped)
- 1 cup shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x9-inch cake pan. Set aside.
- To make the cake, pour boiling water over oatmeal. Let it stand for 20 minutes.
- With an electric mixer (either hand or stand), beat together butter and sugars. Mix until well-combined.
- Add vanilla and eggs. Mix well.
- Add oatmeal mixture, and stir to combine.
- Stir together whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Add to batter in one addition and stir until just combined.
- Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove cake and turn oven to broil.
- Toward the end of the baking time, make the topping.
- In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, cream or canned milk, nuts, and coconut.
- Spread the topping on the hot cake. Return to oven and broil until bubbly, about 3-4 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on the topping because it can overbrown quickly.
- Remove from oven, and serve warm.
Notes
- Oats: Old-fashioned oats are sometimes called "rolled oats".
- Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe. If you prefer to use unsalted butter, I recommend increasing the salt in the cake to 3/4 teaspoon and adding a couple pinches of salt to the topping.
- Brown sugar: I use light brown sugar in this recipe, but you could use dark brown if you prefer.
- Cream/canned milk: I use either evaporated milk or heavy whipping cream, depending on what I have on hand at the time. I don't recommend using sweetened condensed milk.
- Pecans: You can use walnuts, if you prefer. If you want to omit the nuts, you can use additional coconut instead. You may find that you need to increase the amount of cream/milk by 1-2 tablespoons if using additional coconut.
- Coconut: I use sweetened shredded coconut. You can use unsweetened if you prefer a less sweet topping.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Becca R says
Oh, yum! I LOVE this cake. I’m excited to make it following your recipe using whole wheat flour. That makes it health food. Right?
Kate says
Absolutely! =) Hope you enjoy it!
Erin says
What ratio should I use for all purpose flour? Thanks! I can’t wait to try this! Sounds delish!
Kate says
Thank you! In cakes, it’s usually a 1:1 substitute, but I haven’t tried it to say for certain. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Kathy Menold says
Any thing with coconut looks yummy to me and the oatmeal makes it healthy.😀
Kate says
Thanks! Absolutely! ;)