This nostalgic oatmeal cake delivers cozy comfort in every bite, featuring a soft, moist crumb infused with hearty oats and the warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s finished with a luscious, buttery coconut-nut topping that turns golden and chewy under the broiler, making for a dessert that’s both rustic and irresistible.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
Ingredient
Quantity
Old-fashioned rolled oats
1 ½ cups
Boiling water
1 ¼ cups
All-purpose flour
1 ½ cups
Ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons
Baking soda
1 teaspoon
Fine salt
½ teaspoon
Ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon
Granulated sugar
¾ cup
Light brown sugar, packed
¾ cup
Unsalted butter, softened
½ cup
Large eggs
3
Vanilla extract
1 teaspoon
For the Topping:
Ingredient
Quantity
Unsalted butter, melted
6 tablespoons
Light brown sugar, packed
⅔ cup
Milk
¼ cup
Vanilla extract
1 teaspoon
Sweetened shredded coconut
1 ½ cups
Chopped pecans or walnuts
½ cup (optional)
Instructions
Make the Cake:
Preheat & Prepare Pan Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
Soften the Oats In a medium bowl, stir together the oats and boiling water. Let them soak for 15 minutes until softened.
Mix the Dry Ingredients In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugars In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4–5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
Add Eggs and Vanilla Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully mixed before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla.
Combine the Batter Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Then fold in the soaked oats and stir until evenly incorporated.
Bake Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Make the Topping:
Adjust Oven & Mix Topping When the cake comes out of the oven, set your oven to broil. In a bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla. Stir in the coconut and optional nuts.
Broil the Topping Spread the topping evenly over the warm cake. Place under the broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching carefully, until the coconut edges are golden and slightly crisp.
Cool & Serve Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing, allowing the topping to set and flavors to meld.
