Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake Recipe (2024)

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By: Becky HardinPosted: 12/20/19Updated: 11/16/23

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This old fashioned oatmeal cake recipe is topped with a delicious coconut and pecan frosting. Easy to make, this lightly spiced cake can be eaten hot or cold, and it’s always a crowd pleaser.

When it comes to cake, you can’t beat an old fashioned recipe that has been passed down through the generations, and this oatmeal cake has been made in my family for years. Subtly spiced and the frosting is to die for!

Table of Contents

How to Make This Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake Recipe

Place the oats and butter in a large bowl with boiling water and let stand for 20 minutes.
In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, apple pie spice and cinnamon.
Once the oatmeal has rested add in the sugars and eggs and mix. Add the flour mixture and combine.
Pour into a pan and bake.
Remove the baked cake and pour the frosting over the top.
FOR THE COCONUT-PECAN FROSTING: In a pan on a medium hit, bring the cream, sugar and salt to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut, pecans vanilla and lemon juice.

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How long does this cake keep?

Once the cake has completely cooled, transfer it to an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge and it will keep well for two days. The cake can then be eaten cold, or you can gently reheat it in the oven just before serving.

What do oatmeal cakes taste like?

This oatmeal cake recipe is so perfectly moist with a soft crumb texture, it’s just like Grandma used to make! The cake itself is lightly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and apple pie spice and it’s perfectly soft. The coconut and pecan frosting adds a delicious sweetness to the cake, as well as a crunchy texture.

What do you serve with this cake?

This oatmeal cake recipe is perfect on its own with a mid afternoon cup of coffee, or served as a dessert. However, I love serving it warm out of the oven with a generous scoop of ice cream. Heaven! It’s perfect with any of these homemade ice cream recipes:

Red Velvet Ice Cream (Cream Cheese Ice Cream)
Easy Homemade Pumpkin Ice Cream Recipe

Top tips to make this oatmeal cake recipe

Be sure to grease your pan before adding the cake mixture for easy removal.
Don’t over mix when adding the dry ingredients to the wet, as this could cause the cake to become too stiff.
The frosting should be warm when you pour it over the cake.
If making ahead of time, allow the cake to cool fully before storing.

For more delicious cake recipes:

Salted Caramel No Bake Cheesecake Recipe
Iced Lemon Loaf Cake Recipe
Tres Leches Cake
Pecan Pie Pound Cake Recipe
Hummingbird Cake Recipe with Dried Pineapple Flowers

If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy!

Recipe

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake Recipe

5 from 9 votes

Author: Becky Hardin

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook: 50 minutes minutes

Total: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Serves12 people

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This old fashioned oatmeal cake is topped with a delicious coconut and pecan frosting. Easy to make, this lightly spiced cake can be eaten hot or cold, and it's always a crowd pleaser.

Email This Recipe

Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Cookie Rookie.

Ingredients

For the Oatmeal Cake

▢ 1 cup quick oats 89 grams
▢ ½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, room temperature (1 stick)
▢ 1¼ cups water 284 grams, boiling (212°F)
▢ 1⅓ cup all-purpose flour 160 grams
▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda 6 grams
▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
▢ ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
▢ 1 teaspoon apple pie spice 3 grams
▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 grams
▢ 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
▢ 1 cup dark brown sugar 213 grams
▢ 2 large eggs 100 grams, room temperature and lightly beaten

For the Coconut-Pecan Frosting

▢ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 85 grams (¾ stick)
▢ ¼ cup heavy cream 57 grams
▢ ½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams
▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
▢ ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut 43 grams, toasted
▢ 1 cup chopped pecans 114 grams, toasted
▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
▢ 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 14 grams, from ½ lemon

Recommended Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
9-inch Round Cake Pan

Instructions

For the Oatmeal Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F and adjust oven rack to middle position. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick baking spray (I used the Nordic Ware Charlotte Cake Pan).
Place oats and butter in a large bowl and pour boiling water on top. Stir, cover and let the oatmeal mixture stand 20 minutes.
1 cup quick oats, ½ cup unsalted butter, 1¼ cups water
In a separate medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, apple pie spice, and cinnamon together.
1⅓ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoon apple pie spice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
After the oatmeal mixture has rested 20 minutes, add granulated sugar, brown sugar and eggs; stir until incorporated.
1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup dark brown sugar, 2 large eggs
Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until the flour in incorporated.
Pour mixture into the prepared pan and bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
While the cake bakes, make the frosting. Beat the butter, cream, sugar, and salt together in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook 15 seconds.
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¼ cup heavy cream, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Remove from the heat and add coconut, pecans, vanilla, and lemon juice. Mix well.
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut, 1 cup chopped pecans, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Reheat and stir the frosting to warm right before pouring over the warm cake.
Remove the cake from the oven and pour the warm frosting over the top. Spread out the frosting to cover the entire cake.
The cake can be served after 15 minutes (delicious with a scoop of ice cream) or served cold. I love it both ways.
Allow cake to cool completely before covering for storage.

Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Becky’s tips

You can use half-and-half in place of the heavy cream in the frosting.
Be sure to grease your pan before adding the cake mixture for easy removal.
Don’t over mix when adding the dry ingredients to the wet, as this could cause the cake to become too stiff.
The frosting should be warm when you pour it over the cake.
If making ahead of time, allow the cake to cool fully before storing.

Storage: Store old fashioned oatmeal cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 472kcal (24%) Carbohydrates: 62g (21%) Protein: 5g (10%) Fat: 25g (38%) Saturated Fat: 12g (75%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g Monounsaturated Fat: 8g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 72mg (24%) Sodium: 365mg (16%) Potassium: 137mg (4%) Fiber: 2g (8%) Sugar: 45g (50%) Vitamin A: 535IU (11%) Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) Calcium: 43mg (4%) Iron: 2mg (11%)

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Meet Becky Hardin

Becky Hardin is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.