Orange-oatmeal snacking cake is a vintage recipe that produces a moist, dense cake flavored with orange and cinnamon. It’s great for after-school snacks or as part of a brunch buffet.
Growing up in a fairly large family (5 kids) everyone had a job. One of mine was to keep the cookie jars filled as well as baking other treats for hungry kids coming home from school each day. I guess you could call me the Cookie Baker in Chief, and throughout my teens, I couldn’t begin to tell you just how many dozens of cookies and other treats I made!
This orange-oatmeal snacking cake was one I made pretty often – though we called it a coffee cake back then. In reality, it was most often noshed on by me and my siblings after school, and it makes a tasty, filling snack. And frankly, who has time anymore to linger over coffee and sweets, anyway? Though maybe we should ‘linger’ more often – life seems just too fast most days.
About Orange-Oatmeal Snacking Cake
Oatmeal is the star of the show here, in an understated way. Quick oats (as opposed to old-fashioned or instant oats) are what’s called for. They add protein and fiber and keep the cake delightfully moist, even several days after baking. They’re complemented with just a touch of cinnamon, along with orange (more on that later) and chopped nuts. I usually go with English walnuts for this one, though pecans or other nuts would work as well.
To make an orange-oatmeal snacking cake, start by preheating the oven to 350° and spray an 8 or 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Like most cakes, you first cream the butter and granulated (white) sugar in a large mixing bowl. The butter needs to be at room temperature, but if you forgot to set it out earlier, no worries. Just microwave it on 10% or 20% power, 30 seconds at a time, until it has softened. (See the recipe notes for more info.)
I used my hand mixer for this job, but you can easily do it by hand instead. Then you beat in the eggs and start adding the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk. Then pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake it on the middle rack of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes.
Making the Glaze
While the orange-oatmeal snacking cake is baking, make the topping/glaze. The orange flavor is important here – it adds a bright pop of citrus that sets this cake apart. I’ve incorporated this flavor in two ways: orange juice concentrate adds a LOT of orange flavor, but you have to thaw it first. I’ve also used orange juice, as I did here, but reduce it by about half by simmering for 15 minutes over medium heat on the stove.
Either way you decide to go, make the glaze by creaming the brown sugar and butter and adding your choice of orange juice (or concentrate) and chopped nuts. When the cake is lightly browned and pulling away from the sides of the baking pan, set it aside to cool for a few minutes. Carefully move one of the oven racks to about 5 inches under the broiler element and preheat it.
When the cake has cooled about 5 minutes, carefully spread the glaze over it. Try to distribute the chopped nuts evenly. Place the cake under the broiler just until the topping is bubbly, about 2 minutes. Don’t do what I did and slightly burn the nuts as you see at the top of the photo 😉
Orange-Oatmeal Snacking Cake
Orange-oatmeal snacking cake is a vintage recipe that produces a moist, dense cake flavored with orange and cinnamon. It’s great for after-school snacks or as part of a brunch buffet.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: cake
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick) at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick oatmeal (not old-fashioned or instant oats)
1 cup milk, 2% or full-fat
Topping and Glaze
1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick), at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (or other nuts as desired
3 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed, OR 1/2 cup orange juice
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350° F and spray an 8 or 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar by hand or with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat to combine. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, starting with the flour, then baking powder, cinnamon and salt, then oatmeal.
Scrape and pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly. Carefully move an oven rack to about 5 inches below the broiler element. Preheat the broiler.
Topping and Glaze
While the cake is baking, cream 1/4 cup butter and brown sugar. If using frozen orange juice concentrate, add it at this point. If using orange juice, in a small saucepan simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half before adding it to the butter/brown sugar mixture. Add the chopped nuts.
Spread the topping over the warm cake and place it under the broiler for about 2 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly. Cool slightly before serving.
Best served warmed, or heated slightly in the microwave. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Notes
To soften butter in the microwave, locate the Power button on the control panel (usually in the lower-left corner). Press it repeatedly until the display shows ’20’ or ’10’ (20 or 10 percent power, respectively). Using the number keypad, set the time for 30 seconds, then Start. Turn the butter over and repeat until it’s softened.
Keywords: orange-oatmeal snacking cake, coffee cake, oatmeal coffee cake