Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake
Updated Jul 22, 2024
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This Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake recipe is a rustic cake with the perfect balance of spice and sweetness. It’s a classic cake that’s so easy to make!
This is a recipe from my Great Grandma, and it always makes me happy when I make it. It’s an old-fashioned oatmeal cake, which, if you’re not familiar with it, is just a very dense, spiced cake made with oats, applesauce, and some simple cake ingredients!
I love it in the cooler months because those warm spices make it the perfect dessert or sweet pick-me-up on a chilly day. You can serve it warm or at room temperature, and it’s delicious with Broiled Nut Icing, store-bought cream cheese frosting, or a dusting of powdered sugar on top. I can’t wait for you to make and fall in love with this scrumptious cake just as much as I am.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- I love this old-fashioned oatmeal cake recipe from my Great-Grandma because it’s straightforward, subtly spiced and sweet, and just plain delicious.
- It’s easy, making it perfect for any occasion: a birthday, brunch, or just any old dessert. You can’t go wrong because it’s pretty foolproof, and the ingredients and instructions are simple.
- Perfect in the cooler seasons because of the warm spices, and your house will smell amazing!
Recipe Ingredients
- Oats – rolled or old-fashioned
- Flour – whole wheat and all-purpose
- Sugar – granulated and brown
- Baking Powder and Soda
- Spices – cinnamon and nutmeg
- Butter
- Applesauce
- Vanilla
- Eggs
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cake
- Add the dry oats to boiling water and stir.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix.
- Add the butter, applesauce, vanilla, eggs, and oat/water mixture.
- Pour batter into a pan and bake.
Recipe FAQs
You can use rolled oats, old-fashioned oats, or quick/instant oats in this cake! They’ll lend a similar texture to the end product. You’ll end up with a bit chewier cake with the rolled oats (a bigger cut), and the texture will be finer if you use instant or quick oats. Use what you have and what you like.
It is not—there’s butter and eggs in it, but if you want to make a vegan version, you can try swapping in mashed banana for the egg and avocado oil for the butter. I think that it’ll work just great.
Applesauce is a natural sweetener and moistener for cakes. It adds a touch of sweetness and moisture without adding many more calories or fat! Plus I just think apples and oats are just meant to go together aren’t they?
Expert Tips
- Try these old fashioned iced oatmeal cookies, or this easy oatmeal cookie recipe for more yummy oatmeal recipes!
- Flour is pretty integral to this recipe and many cake recipes, but if you want to make it with all whole wheat flour, gluten-free flour, or another flour varietal, it should work just fine!
- Replace the flour with oats ground in the blender to make oat flour. Your cake will be pretty dense if you do this, but I’d do it if that’s what you have on hand!
More Cake Recipes to Consider
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Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups boiling water
- 1 1/2 cups rolled or old fashion oats
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
Instructions
- Add the boiling water to a medium bowl. Add the dry oats to the water and stir to combine.
- Meanwhile in a large mixing bowl, add the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Stir together and make a well in the center of the mixture.
- In the well, add the melted butter, applesauce, vanilla, and eggs. Add the oat/water mixture (don’t drain off any extra water. Stir together just until a thick batter is formed.
- Pour batter into a greased 9-inch round or 9×9 square pan. Place in preheated 350 degree F. oven.
- Bake for 37 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes before serving.
- You can serve this with a Broiled Nut Icing on top, a favorite cream cheese frosting, a dusting of powdered sugar, or just as it is.
- It’s good warm and at room temperature.
Notes
- Did you know you can boil water in the microwave? In a 2-cup glass Pyrex measuring cup, measure 1 1/4 cups water. Place in the microwave and microwave until water is boiling (2 to 4 minutes).
- Serve this with a Broiled Nut Icing on top, a favorite cream cheese frosting, a dusting of powdered sugar, or just as it is.
- This rustic cake is dense and spicy. It’s not fancy, but it’s so satisfying.
- You can replace the flour with oats ground in the blender to make oat flour.
♥️♥️♥️ Simple/straightforward as the 123’s & the abc’s….
Keep doin what you are meant to do. Your a hero…
Very good recipe! I am gluten free so I used 1 cup “Cup4Cup” flour and one cup Pamela’s flour. It turned out great!