Baked to perfection in a trusty 9×13 pan, my delicious oatmeal cake is all about no-fuss preparation with a payoff that’s 100% fuss-worthy. It’s time to roll up your sleeves, preheat that oven, and prepare to fall in love with a delicious cake that tastes like home. For more easy cake recipes, check out my cinnamon roll cake recipe, Texas sheet cake, and honey bun cake recipe next!
What You Need To Make This Recipe
Old-fashioned rolled oats — these are key to achieving a ridiculously moist crumb with a hint of chewiness. Ground cinnamon & nutmeg — make sure your ground spices are fresh (preferably less than a year old) for the most potent flavor. I recommend buying whole nutmeg and grating it yourself; it’ll last nearly indefinitely in the spice cabinet. Baking soda — not to be confused with baking powder, this leavening agent is what makes the cake puff up to tender-crumbed perfection. Granulated sugar & brown sugar — these sweeteners have different chemical properties, so you’ll need them both. If you need to make a swap, cane sugar is a good substitute for granulated or white sugar, and muscovado sugar is great for brown sugar. Eggs — if you’re using liquid eggs from a carton, you’ll need a scant ¾ cup. Vanilla extract — for an added layer of aromatic warmth. Feel free to sub in an equal amount of vanilla paste or vanilla powder. Milk — use whole milk for added richness, but you can get away with using 2% if you prefer. Sweetened shredded coconut — if your coconut has been in the pantry for a while, keep an extra close eye on the frosting as it broils. The lack of moisture will make the coconut more prone to burning. Chopped nuts — pecans or walnuts are both delightful for added crunch.
How To Make Oatmeal Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, combine the oats and boiling water. Let soak for 15 minutes.
- Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in another medium bowl.
- In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated. Beat in the vanilla.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and beat until combined.
- Add the oat mixture and beat until well blended.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. As soon as the cake comes out, turn the oven to Broil.
- In a medium bowl, stir together butter, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla. Stir in the coconut and nuts. Spread over the top of the cake while it’s still warm. Place under the broiler just until the edges of the coconut are toasted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving the warm cake.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
Crack your eggs into a small bowl before adding them to your batter. It’s much easier to see if you’ve lost any shells that way! Make the topping as soon as the cake is done baking. If you try making it too far ahead, it firms up and becomes difficult to spread. Watch the broiling process the whole time. The coconut and nuts can go from perfectly caramelized and beautiful to acrid and burnt in a second.
If you’ve tried this Oatmeal Cake recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
