This easy apple oatmeal cake is loaded with tart apples, hearty oats, warm spices and a simple cinnamon sugar topping. A quick single layer snack cake you can enjoy for breakfast, a snack or dessert with a dollop of whipped cream.
I knew I needed a recipe for an easy apple oatmeal cake after I posted my apple cinnamon oat muffins and I had lots of people ask if they could bake it as a cake. This cake is extremely moist, so flavorful, and I love the simplicity with it being a single layer without any frosting.
For more recipes with apples, try my apple buttermilk cake or my apple crumble cheesecake bars.
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Why You Will Love This Cake
- Single Layer: It's a simple single layer cake, so no need to layer and frost.
- Moist and Soft: The soaked oats and juicy apples help keep this cake so moist.
- Apples: This cake has so much apple flavor coming though from the diced up apples. It's perfect for any apple lovers!
Ingredient Notes
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Oats: You will soak your oats first to help them soften and absorb some of the moisture.
- Butter: I always love using salted butter in my baking, but unsalted would work great too.
- Sugar: You will use both brown and granulated sugar in this cake.
- Apple: I love using granny smith apples for the tart balance to the sweet cake, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1: Place oats in a bowl and pour boiling water over it. Set aside and allow to seap up the water and cool.
- Step 2: In a medium size bowl cream together butter and sugars. Add in egg and vanilla and beat until light.
- Step 3: Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour and mix until combined. Stir in cooled oats.
- Step 4: Fold in diced apples. Pour and smooth batter into prepared pan.
- Step 5: Stir together the 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of the cake batter.
- Step 6: Bake for 33-38 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. The sugar topping will form a hard top, but you can just stick a toothpick through that if needed.
Expert Baking Tips
- You can skip the cinnamon sugar topping and sprinkle with powdered sugar after it has cooled. Or, a simple glaze like I've done on these oatmeal cookies would also be delicious.
- ½ cup of chopped nuts or white chocolate chips would be a great addition to this cake as well.
- I have given both cups and grams as measurements. Grams will be more precise, especially when measuring flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, no problem! Just lightly spoon flour into your measuring cup to insure its not packed in there. Light and fluffy is the key.
FAQ
Yes, just swap out the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free flour.
Yes, I would suggest using about 1 cup of fresh berries. Frozen would become too soggy.
Yes, I prefer to take the skin off because it is a little noticeable when biting into the soft cake, but that it won't hurt the cake at all.
It's always best to use a firm, crisp apple so it doesn't turn to mush when baking. My favorites to use are granny smith, honey crisp, fuji and envy.
Storing & Freezing
Apple oatmeal cake needs to be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. You can wrap it in tinfoil, as this will help the cinnamon sugar topping from getting too sticky and moist.
This cake freezes well for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Other Popular Recipes to Try
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Easy Apple Oatmeal Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup (52 g) old-fashioned oats
- ¾ cup (177.44 ml) boiling water
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) butter room temperature
- ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) nutmeg
- ¾ cup (105 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 large apple peeled and diced small
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar for topping
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray an 8 inch baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
- Place oats in a bowl and pour boiling water over it. Set aside and allow to seap up the water and cool.
- In a medium size bowl cream together butter and sugars. Add in egg and vanilla and beat until light.
- Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour and mix until combined. Stir in cooled oats.
- Fold in diced apples. Pour and smooth batter into prepared pan.
- Stir together the 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of the cake batter.
- Bake for 33-38 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. The sugar topping will form a hard top, but you can just stick a toothpick through that if needed.
Sandy
I love an easy small snack cake and this apple oatmeal cake is so perfect! It’s moist, full of flavor and one that will be on repeat!
Shelley
how long did it take for the oats to soak up the water? Mine has been in the water for 20 min and there's still some water in the bowl
Brooke Homec
It doesn't need to soak up all the water, you can just add it all to the batter with some water still there.
Shelley
Thanks Brooke. I ended up pouring off a bit of the excess water. The cake tastes yummy, but the oats are still hard. Did you find that? (I used the old fashioned big oats)
Bailey
I’m obsessed with this cake! So yummy!
Nicki
This cake is delicious. It is soft and full of warm, fall flavors. It reminds me a bit of the texture of coffee cake.