Description
Grandma’s Oatmeal Cake is a comforting and nostalgic dessert featuring wholesome old-fashioned oats, warm spices, and simple pantry ingredients. With a chewy texture, balanced sweetness, and rich flavors, it makes a perfect treat for any occasion, from casual snacks to festive gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend for gluten-free version)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (or coconut oil for vegan)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs (or 2 flax eggs for vegan)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional Add-ins
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (such as walnuts or pecans) or raisins
Instructions
- Prepare the Oats: Combine the old-fashioned oats with 1/2 cup boiling water and let them soak for about 10 minutes to soften, ensuring a tender and chewy texture in the cake.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to evenly distribute the leaveners and spices.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy to create a tender, moist crumb and incorporate air into the batter.
- Incorporate Eggs and Vanilla: Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition, then blend in the vanilla extract to enhance flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture alternately with the soaked oats into the wet ingredients, stirring gently to keep the batter light and tender without overmixing.
- Add Nuts or Raisins (Optional): Fold in chopped nuts or raisins evenly for extra texture and bursts of natural sweetness.
- Bake Until Golden: Pour the batter into a greased 9×9-inch pan and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top turns lightly golden.
Notes
- Measure ingredients accurately to balance moistness and chewiness.
- Do not skip soaking the oats to prevent a dry or gritty texture.
- Use room temperature ingredients for even blending and lighter cake.
- Avoid overmixing when combining wet and dry ingredients to keep cake tender.
- Start checking doneness with a toothpick around 25 minutes to avoid overbaking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/9 of cake)
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Keywords: oatmeal cake, classic dessert, cozy cake, gluten-free option, nostalgic recipe, homemade cake, simple ingredients