Name: Lazy Daisy Oatmeal Cake
Total time: 155 min
Ingredients: Vegetable shortening, for greasing pans; 1.25 cups boiling water; 1 cup uncooked old-fashioned regular rolled oats; 1.5 cups (about 6 ⅜ oz.) all-purpose flour, plus more for pan; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; .5 teaspoon ground nutmeg; .5 teaspoon kosher salt; .5 cup (4 oz.) salted butter, softened; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 cup packed light brown sugar; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 6 tablespoons (3 oz.) salted butter; 1 cup packed light brown sugar; 6 tablespoons canned evaporated milk; 1.5 cups sweetened flaked coconut; .75 cup toasted chopped pecans

Be sure to bake this cake in a pan that can go under the broiler. This recipe keeps well for a few days, which is one of its charms, although the topping gets a little crunchier each day. That's not a bad thing. Keep an eye out for sneaky eaters tempted to pick off the topping to eat like candy.

Sheri Castle

Updated on February 24, 2022

Lazy Daisy Oatmeal Cake — Photo: Alison Miksch; Food Styling: Erin Merhar; Prop Styling: Prissy Lee

Active Time:

25 mins

Stand Time:

30 mins

Bake Time:

30 mins

Cool Time:

1 hrs 10 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 35 mins

Servings:

Ingredients

Cake

Vegetable shortening, for greasing pans
1 ¼ cups boiling water
1 cup uncooked old-fashioned regular rolled oats
1 ½ cups (about 6 ⅜ oz.) all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup (4 oz.) salted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature

Topping

6 tablespoons (3 oz.) salted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
6 tablespoons canned evaporated milk
1 ½ cups sweetened flaked coconut
¾ cup toasted chopped pecans

Directions

Prepare the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease (with shortening) and flour a 13- x 9-inch broiler-safe baking pan.
Stir together boiling water and rolled oats in a small heatproof bowl; let stand until room temperature, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to soften oats.
Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture in 2 additions, beating on low speed until just combined. Beat in oatmeal mixture on low speed until just combined.
Scrape bowl, and stir well with a rubber spatula. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. (The cake should be warm, but not hot when topping is added.) Increase oven temperature to broil.
While the cake cools, prepare the Topping: Bring butter, brown sugar, and milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high, stirring to melt butter. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat, and stir in coconut and nuts.
Immediately spread topping over warm cake. Broil on center rack in preheated oven until topping bubbles and begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. (Watch cake carefully to avoid scorching.) Cool cake to room temperature, about 1 hour. Store at room temperature an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap up to 4 days.