Oatmeal Cake Comforting and Irresistible
Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cake is a moist, spiced cake made with soaked oats and topped with a caramelized coconut-pecan glaze. It’s the perfect blend of sweet, chewy, and nutty — a comforting classic ideal for sharing with loved ones.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 ¼ cups boiling water
- ½ cup butter (softened)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Topping:
- ½ cup butter
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup shredded coconut
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup milk or cream
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
- Soak Oats: In a bowl, pour boiling water over oats. Let stand for 15–20 minutes to soften.
- Mix Batter: In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
- Combine: Add the soaked oats to the mixture. Stir until well blended.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Bake: Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Prepare Topping: In a saucepan, melt butter. Add brown sugar, coconut, pecans, and milk. Mix well and spread over the warm cake.
- Broil: Place under the broiler for 1–2 minutes until bubbly and golden. Watch closely to prevent burning.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cake cool slightly before serving warm.
Notes
- Soaking the oats gives the cake its signature moist texture.
- Do not overbake — the cake should be soft and tender.
- The topping can be customized with walnuts or almonds.
- For a lighter version, reduce sugar by ¼ cup in both the cake and topping.
- Tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld.