Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This oatmeal chocolate chip cake is like a big ol’ oatmeal chocolate chip cookie in cake form! Top it with fluffy cream cheese frosting or serve warm with ice cream.

Let’s hear it for cakes that taste like an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie in cake form!

Are you cheering?

I am.

This oatmeal chocolate chip cake is decadent and at the same time, totally homey (and kind of homely if I’m being honest, but as we all know, looks aren’t everything).

Like, I wouldn’t be surprised  if my grandma had this exact same recipe languishing in her tattered and stained stack of recipe cards printed with colorful chickens on the borders.

Yet, it’s delicious enough to be worthy of company or other special occasions.

The versatility. It’s killing me.

AND.

It gets better.

Not only is this moist (sorry) and tender oatmeal chocolate chip cake surprisingly fantastic with that fluffy cream cheese frosting, it is equally yummy when warm squares of cake are served with a heaping scoop of creamy, melty vanilla ice cream.

I can’t really say which way I prefer…cream cheese frosting or ice cream? That would be like asking me to choose a favorite child (which I don’t do out of principle…well, most days).

I was skeptical the cream cheese frosting would work here. I mean, I’ve never slathered an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie with cream cheese frosting, but after tasting the combo, I’m thinking I’ve been missing out all these years.

But be warned, a scoop of ice cream melting it’s way into the nooks and crannies of the oatmeal chocolate chip cake is also other-worldly.

Also, a quick Public Service Announcement:

DON’T FREAK OUT IF YOUR CHOCOLATE CHIPS SINK TO THE BOTTOM.

They probably will.

And yes, I’ve tossed the chips with flour and spritzed them with milk first and stood on my head and counted to 58 in a British accent…and they still sunk to the bottom of the cake.

I kind of freaked out (shocker) the first few times, and then I realized, hey, I kind of like the decadent layer of chocolate that forms on the bottom of the super tender, tasty cake as the chocolate chips (bittersweet, always, but you can use whatever kind you like) fall to the bottom.

Enough so, that the time the chocolate chips actually honored their space requirements and floated throughout (even though I made the cake exactly the same way), I was a little bummed.

So embrace the sinking chocolate chips, ok?

With a soft texture, made wholesome and slightly nutty thanks to the oats, and a light cinnamon hint to follow up the chocolate chips, this one-bowl oatmeal chocolate chip cake is a strong contender for Sunday night desserts around here.

I just can’t even tell you how much I love that chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie factor all loaded up in an easy cake.

It’s divine.

And now I can’t wait to hear how YOU prefer the cake…with cream cheese frosting? Ice cream? Or all plain and humble?

Do report back, pretty please!

One Year Ago: 30-Minute Asian Garlic Noodles with Shrimp {or Chicken}
Two Years Ago: Scripture Bars {i.e. Mud Hen Bars or Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars}
Three Years Ago: Cream Cheese Banana Bread with Sweet Cinnamon Topping

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: 15 Servings (9X13-inch cake)

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 35 minutes mins

Total Time: 50 minutes mins

4.70 stars (36 ratings)

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Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 cup (100 g) old-fashioned oats
• ½ cup (113 g) salted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces and softened to room temperature
• 1 ¼ cups boiling water
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup (159 g) granulated sugar
• 1 ¼ cups (265 g) light or dark brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 ¾ cups (249 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ cups (213 g) chocolate chips, milk, semisweet or bittersweet

Cream Cheese Frosting (optional):

• 4 tablespoons (57 g) butter, softened to room temperature
• 4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups (228 g) powdered sugar

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Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a metal 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray (if using a glass or dark-coated pan, lower the baking temperature to 325 degrees F).
• In a medium bowl, add the oats and butter. Pour in the boiling water; stir, and set aside to cool for about 15-20 minutes (until it is just warm but not hot).
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
• Stir in the cooled oatmeal mixture until well-combined.
• Add the flour and chocolate chips (at the same time), and stir until just combined.
• Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes until the top springs back to the touch and a toothpick comes out with moist or no crumbs (don’t overbake!).
• Let cool completely in the pan.
• For the cream cheese frosting, whip together (with a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and powdered sugar, and mix until light and creamy, 2-3 minutes.
• Frost the cooled cake with cream cheese frosting or serve plain pieces of cake (slightly warm is divine) with a scoop of ice cream.

Author: Mel

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Method: Bake

Serving: 1 Piece, Calories: 409kcal, Carbohydrates: 66g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 57mg, Sodium: 302mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 49g

Recommended Products

9X13-inch Metal Baking Pan

Mixing Bowl

Silicone Spatula

Recipe Source: adapted from Baked Explorations (added weights, changed up amount of cinnamon and adapted the method, also adapted the cream cheese frosting)

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