Lightly spiced with a golden topping makes this Irish Oatmeal Cake recipe a simple, but tasty cake that closely resembles hummingbird cake in it’s moist texture. Have you heard of this old fashioned Irish Oatmeal Cake before? I'd love to know your thoughts in the comments!
Slicing into this cake will have some of the topping scatter off and you will likely serve it up and think about how it looks like an old fashioned cake and it is…but it’s also really tasty in that comforting way cakes are.
Why you’ll love this
Lightly spiced flavor
The cake with its lightly spiced flavor resembles a hummingbird cake without the pineapple - incredibly moist and comforting flavor.
Crunchy topping
The walnut and coconut caramelized topping adds a contracts that results in a bite of cake that is completely enchanting and will have you wanting more.
Ingredients and substitutions for Irish Oatmeal Cake
- Oats: Simple rolled oats were used here, no quick oats or steel oats which might result in a different texture within the cake.
- Brown sugar: Light brown sugar is best because it adds a light caramel flavor without overpowering the cake and compliments the ground spices beautifully. For the topping this also allows the flavors of the coconut and walnuts to shine through.
- Superfine or caster sugar: The light sugar adds sweetness to the cake. You could substitute in equal measure with brown sugar.
- Eggs: Room temperature eggs add structure to the cake and bind everything together so are essential.
- Flour: Plain or all purpose flour is best because it gives our cake a nice light crumb. You could substitute with self rising flour, however, will need to omit the baking soda.
- Baking soda: This is the key to the cake rising thanks to the brown sugar (the acid that baking soda needs to work with to rise) so don't leave it out, unless you are using self raising flour.
- Ground spices: The ground cinnamon and nutmeg give our cake a depth of flavor which you could opt to leave out, however, the result would likely be a sweet cake with little other flavor.
- Flaked coconut: Large pieces of coconut are perfect on this and I do not recommend using desiccated or shredded coconut because those large chunks are what make this cake.
See recipe card for quantities.
Equipment needed to make this
Greaseproof paper: Lining your tin will make getting this cake out a breeze!
Mixing bowls: You’ll need several bowls for this cake, to cream your butter, ‘cook’ the oats and whisk your eggs.
Cake tin: A spring form tin that is 20 cm or 8 inches was used here to get the cake out of the tin easily, however, a standard cake tin of similar size would also work well.
Spoon or Spatula: To stir the ingredients together, this is easiest done with a spoon or spatula.
Hand or stand mixer: To cream the butter and sugars for both the cake and topping.
More oatmeal recipes you’ll enjoy
Hjónabandssaela - Icelandic Happy Marriage Cake
How to make Irish Oatmeal Cake:
Preheat your oven to 180C/350F and line your cake tin with greaseproof paper.
Place the oats and boiling water into a medium heatproof bowl and stir. Set aside for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cream the butter and sugars in another bowl, until pale and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
In a small separate bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla extract together.
Stir the oats until smooth and add in the eggs, stirring until well combined.
Add in the creamed butter and sugar to the oatmeal mix and stir to combine until smooth.
In a large separate bowl, place the flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg and stir together.
Pour in the oatmeal mixture and stir to form your cake batter, until no dry portions remain in the base of your bowl.
Pour into your cake tin and smooth out the top.
Place in the oven and bake until golden and a skewer comes out clean, approximately 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make the topping, place the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat on medium until pale and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
Toss in the coconut, walnuts and vanilla extract and stir until everything is coated in the butter mixture.
Spoon the topping onto the hot cake and smooth out.
Change the setting on your oven to grill or broil.
Place under the grill until golden and bubbling, approximately 2 ½ minutes, it’s best to stand by and watch your cake at this point as the color changes swiftly.
Remove and allow to cool.
Slice and serve with your favorite hot beverage.
Dig in!
Irish Oatmeal Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 10 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: Irish
Description
This old fashioned Irish Oatmeal Cake recipe is lightly spiced and includes a caramelized coconut and walnut topping that is perfect for those occasions where you want an unfussy slice of cake that is both tasty and comforting.
Ingredients
Oatmeal Cake
90 grams / 1 cup rolled oats
310 milliliters / 1 ¼ cups boiling water
110 grams / 3.9 ounces butter, room temperature
200 grams / 1 cup brown sugar
75 grams / ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon superfine/caster sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
240 grams / 1 ½ cups plain flour
5 grams / 1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
Topping
84 grams / 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
100 grams / ½ cup brown sugar
75 grams / ¾ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
75 grams / 1 cup flaked coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C/350F and line your cake tin with greaseproof paper.
Oatmeal cake
- Place the oats and boiling water into a medium heatproof bowl and stir. Set aside for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cream the butter and sugars in another bowl, until pale and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
- In a small separate bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla extract together.
- Stir the oats until smooth and add in the eggs, stirring until well combined.
- Add in the creamed butter and sugar to the oatmeal mix and stir to combine until smooth.
- In a large separate bowl, place the flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg and stir together.
- Pour in the oatmeal mixture and stir to form your cake batter, until no dry portions remain in the base of your bowl.
- Pour into your cake tin and smooth out the top.
- Place in the oven and bake until golden and a skewer comes out clean, approximately 45 minutes.
Topping
- Place the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat on medium until pale and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
- Toss in the coconut, walnuts and vanilla extract and stir until everything is coated in the butter mixture.
- Spoon the topping onto the hot cake and smooth out.
- Change the setting on your oven to grill or broil.
- Place under the grill until golden and bubbling, approximately 2 ½ minutes, it’s best to stand by and watch your cake at this point as the color changes swiftly.
- Remove and allow to cool.
- Slice and serve with your favorite hot beverage.
- Dig in!
Notes
Adapted from key ingredient
Nutrition
- Calories: 491 calories per serve
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