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You have to make this oatmeal cake. It’s an old-school recipe that doesn’t look like much, but that buttery pecan and coconut topping? It’s gooey, crunchy, and totally addictive!
A Reader’s Review
“I made this cake several years ago while tending to my mother who was sick I actually made if for her after receiving some from a party. Let me say this, this cake was divine and I’m going to the store to buy the ingredients I don’t have on hand. I love love love this cake … “
– Ginger
Your New “Bring This to the Party” Cake
- It tells a story: This is the kind of recipe that gets passed down, scribbled on a stained card, and made when you need a little coziness in your life.
- The Topping is a Full-Blown Moment! The frosting gets a little broil that transforms it into a caramelized, coconut-pecan shell that’s so addictive.
- It’s Banana Bread’s Spiced-Up Cousin: Same cozy vibes, but with nutmeg, cinnamon, and brown sugar, and of course, no bananas.
Oatmeal Cake Ingredients
- Stick With Rolled Oats: Trust me on this. Quick oats are too thin and wimpy. Rolled oats give the cake that perfect chewy texture that makes every bite so satisfying.
- Nuts: No Pecans? No problem, you can swap in walnuts or your fave nut instead. It’s still going to taste amazing.
- Obsessed With The Topping? Same! Double the frosting for an extra-thick, gooey, golden layer. You won’t regret it.
How to Make Nostalgic Oatmeal Cake
I love old-fashioned recipes that have been passed along for years! You must try my grandma’s perfect fluffy pancakes, her delicious homemade bread, or her simple but perfectly delicious pie crust. You can’t go wrong with tried and true recipes!
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Add the oats and boiling water to a medium bowl and let them sit while the rest of the batter is prepared.
- Combine & Beat: Add the butter, sugar, and brown sugar to a large bowl and beat on medium-high speed with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and mix until combined.
- Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
- Combine: Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Add the vanilla and the soaked oats and mix until combined.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake.
- Make Frosting: While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting by stirring together the melted butter, milk, vanilla, brown sugar, coconut, and pecans.
- Frost & Broil: Once the cake has finished baking, spread the frosting over the hot cake. Switch the oven to the broiler on high and broil the frosted cake for 1-2 minutes, just until the edges of the coconut start to toast. This happens quickly, so keep a close eye on it.
- Cool: Let the oatmeal cake cool for at least 20-30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Alyssa’s Pro Tip
Don’t walk away during the broil! That gooey topping turns golden fast. Keep a close eye so it melts into the oatmeal cake without burning. A minute too long and it can go from dreamy to crispy real quick.
Make Ahead & Leftover Instructions
- Make Ahead? Absolutely. This oatmeal cake actually gets better with time. Letting it sit for a day or two gives the topping time to really soak into the cake.
- Room Temp: Just cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
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Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cake
My old-fashioned oatmeal cake is cozy, spiced, and has a gooey coconut-pecan topping. Easy to make, even better the next day!
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 ¼ cup boiling water
- ½ cup softened unsalted butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- ¼ cup melted salted butter
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, and set aside.
- Add 1 cup rolled oats and 1 ¼ cup boiling water to a medium bowl and let it stand while the rest of the batter is prepared.
- Add ½ cup softened unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, and ½ cup packed light brown sugar to a large bowl and beat it on medium-high speed with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the 2 large eggs and mix until combined.
- Whisk together 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the soaked oats and mix until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake.
Frosting
- While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting by stirring together ¼ cup melted salted butter, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup packed light brown sugar, 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, and ½ cup chopped pecans. Once the cake has finished baking, spread the frosting over the hot cake.
- Switch the oven to the broiler on high and broil the frosted cake for 1-2 minutes, just until the edges of the coconut start to toast. This happens quickly, so keep a close eye on it.
- Let the cake cool for at least 20-30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Updated June 9, 2025
Leftover Instructions: This cake gets even better with time. Cover it tightly and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 365kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 4gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 260mgPotassium: 130mgFiber: 2gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 409IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
I love oatmeal cake, but my oven is a very old one. the broiler is a fan shaped pan under the oven, will the topping turn out if I can’t broil it?I wanted to make it on Sundfay for guests.
There’s no acidic ingredient therefore baking soda makes no sense. I advise to replace it with baking powder instead if fluffiness is the goal.
Isn’t salt both acid and base? I’m pretty sure that the salt is what will activate the baking soda. Like in most cake recipes with baking soda.
This makes a VERY flat cake–so little batter for a 9″ x 13″ pan! If I make this again, I will use a 9″ x 9″ pan and increase baking time.
I made this cake several years ago while tending to my mother who was sick I actually made if for her after receiving some from a party Let me say this,this cake was divine and I’m going to the store to buy the ingredients I don’t have on hand I love love love this cake It’s just me now so I’ll have to freeze some Thanks again for the recipe
Are you using light brown or dark brown sugar in the cake portion of the recipe? What are you using in the frosting recipe , light or dark brown sugar?
Light brown sugar for both!
Hi
When i soaked the oats, some water didn’t absorb and remained in the bowl.
The question is, add a soaked oats with the remained water or without to main bowl
Without the water!
Can this be made in a jelly roll pan?
I haven’t tried that before but I imagine that you could. You would have to adjust the cooking time to be less.
My great grandma made this cake for years. Every time I make it, it’s a big hit. I like to cook my frosting and just pour it on top of the cake without baking it further. I also prefer walnuts.
I love your recipes. I swear we could be from the same family. Thanks for all you share with us.
Thank you SO much for this kind message!
Can I use left over oatmeal, made from my morning meal, and if yes, how much would I need???
Can I use unsweetened coconut?
Sure! It will just have a bit different taste.
Hi,
I want to make this cake! It sounds wonderful. If I were to cut the measurements in 1/2 and use an 8/8 pan, then watch my bake time very carefully, do you think it would work?
I never need a bigger cake, and haven’t much freezer space.
Just wondering!
Thanks so much.
Donna
I haven’t tried that before but it should work! Let me know how it turns out.
Love your recipes! Are there any instructions for high altitude baking for this particular cake. I’m in Colorado at 6,600 ft. Thank you for your reply
Hello! I actually cook this at a high altitude so just follow these instructions and it should work out great for you!
How much flour – I can’t seem to find this. I have made many of your recipes.
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour. The recipe card is at the bottom of the post and has all of the exact measurements! 🙂