Bake or Break
New to BAKE or BREAK? Start Here!

Banana Oatmeal Crumb Cake

Banana Oatmeal Crumb Cake is a little like a cross between banana bread and coffee cake. Moist and flavorful, it’s just the kind of cake you’ll find yourself eating all day long!

Square of banana oatmeal crumb cake on plate

Easy Banana Coffee Cake With Streusel Topping

As long as there are overripe bananas, I’ll be looking for ways to use them. After years of baking, I’ve made countless banana breads and muffins, from Nutella Banana Bread and Dulce de Leche Banana Bread to Cookie Butter Banana Muffins and Banana Cream Cheese Muffins. I love them all, but a little variety is nice, too, and this banana oatmeal crumb cake is something different.

I happened upon this recipe as I was browsing through Buttercup Bakes at Home, a great little cookbook from the owner of Buttercup Bake Shop in New York. I’ve had past success with Buttercup’s recipes, so I took my overripe bananas and got to work.

This cake is a bit of a hybrid of banana bread and coffee cake. It seems somehow more substantive than banana bread, yet not quite a coffee cake. There are plenty of oats for a slightly chewy texture, plus brown sugar and, of course, bananas for a moist, tender cake.

And then there’s the crumb topping! I’m always a sucker for crumb topping, and this one does not disappoint. The original recipe doesn’t include nuts, but I can’t resist adding some chopped pecans. Oats, brown sugar, pecans, all held together by butter and cinnamon? Yes, please!

Overhead view of banana oatmeal crumb cake pieces on platter

What’s the Difference Between Crumb Cake and Coffee Cake?

Crumb cake has a higher crumb-to-cake ratio than coffee cake—in fact, some coffee cakes don’t have a crumb topping at all! Practically speaking, though, the two are interchangeable and you can serve crumb cake the same way and for the same occasions that you’d serve coffee cake.

Overhead view of ingredients for banana oatmeal crumb cake

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

For the Cake:

For the Crumb Topping:

  • Old-fashioned rolled oats
  • Light brown sugar
  • Pecans – Since you’ll be chopping them anyway, save yourself some money and buy the cheaper pecan pieces instead of whole pecans.
  • Unsalted butter – Melt this, then let it cool slightly.
  • Ground cinnamon

Are Old-Fashioned Oats the Same as Quick Oats?

No, old-fashioned oats are whole oats that are rolled flat, which is why they’re sometimes also referred to as rolled oats. Quick oats are rolled oats that are cut into small pieces so they cook more quickly. For a hearty texture, stick with the old-fashioned oats for this banana oatmeal crumb cake. If you’d like to learn more, read Rolled Oats vs Quick Oats.

Pieces of banana oatmeal crumb cake with bananas in background

How to Make Banana Oatmeal Crumb Cake

If you’ve made your fair share of banana bread loaves, you’ll find the method for this banana oatmeal crumb cake quite familiar. The main difference is that you pour the batter into a square pan instead of a loaf pan!

Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F, then grease and flour an 8-inch square baking pan. For even easier removal, you can line the pan with parchment paper and grease the paper.

Overhead view of oats and dry ingredients in mixing bowl

Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

Mix the wet ingredients. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until they’re light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the bananas and vanilla.

Finish the batter. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture, continuing to beat until just combined. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan.

Make the topping. Mix together the oats, brown sugar, pecans, butter, and cinnamon until they’re crumbly. (You can do this in the bowl that held the dry ingredients to save yourself from washing another dish!) Sprinkle this mixture over the cake batter in an even layer.

Overhead view of banana oatmeal crumb cake in pan

Bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Overhead view of cut banana oatmeal crumb cake on platter

Cool. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 to 30 minutes, then serve. (Learn more: Why Every Baker Needs Wire Cooling Racks)

Tips for Success

Start by reading my tips for beginning bakers if you’re new to baking. Here are some additional tips for this banana oatmeal crumb cake:

  • Measure the mashed bananas. Rather than simply using 2 bananas and counting on them equalling a cup, it’s important to mash the bananas, then measure to be sure you’re using the right amount. Too little or too much can alter the texture of the cake.
  • Keep an eye on the topping. If you notice the pecans are beginning to darken to quickly, you can loosely tent the pan with foil.
  • Make it your own. Use walnuts instead of pecans, add some cozy cardamom to the topping, or add a drizzle of cream cheese glaze to the top just before serving.
Pieces of banana oatmeal crumb cake on tray

How to Store

Cover your banana oatmeal crumb cake in the pan with a layer of plastic wrap, or transfer it to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Can This Recipe Be Frozen?

You can freeze this banana oatmeal crumb cake for up to 2 months. Store it in a freezer bag, airtight container, or wrap it tightly, then let it thaw at room temperature before serving.

Piece of banana oatmeal crumb cake on plate

More Banana Cake Recipes

Banana Oatmeal Crumb Cake

Yield 12 to 16 servings
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Banana Oatmeal Crumb Cake is a tasty cake that's a little bit banana bread and a little bit coffee cake. Serve this one from breakfast to dessert!

Pieces of banana oatmeal crumb cake on tray

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 3/4 cup (90g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 & 1/3 cups (132g) old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup (133g) firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup ripe mashed bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the crumb topping:

  • 3/4 cup (74g) old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup (67g) firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup (56g) chopped pecans
  • 2 & 1/2 tablespoons (35g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

To make the cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking pan. If you like, line the pan with parchment paper and grease the paper.
  2. Whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the bananas and vanilla.
  4. Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until combined.
  5. Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pan.

To make the crumb topping:

  1. Mix together the oats, brown sugar, pecans, butter, and cinnamon until crumbly. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the cake batter.
  2. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  3. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Buttercup Bakes at Home.

Recommended Products

Bake or Break is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Show off your baking masterpiece!

Snap a pic, tag @bakeorbreak, and use #bakeorbreak on Instagram. Can't wait to see your creation!

Share this:

    36 Comments on “Banana Oatmeal Crumb Cake”

  1. These bars look absolutely delicious!

  2. I have some banana’s that are screaming to be used! Thanks for the recipe! Pinning!

    • I put my need to be used bananas in the freezer. They are perfect for baking recipes when I need them.. When thawed they are nice and ripe!!

  3. Funny thing is, I hardly ever bake with bananas because I always eat them before they get brown! When I want to, I have to buy lots of extra ones.

  4. This sounds wonderful! I would definitely eat this for breakfast.

  5. Looks yummy! The pecans sound like a great addition. I like a heartier banana bread, so I’m betting I would like the texture of it with the oats.

  6. ooooh, a hybrid between coffee cake and banana bread sounds like heaven to me! MMM!

  7. We have some bananas also that are just too ripe for our liking.. We see this cake in our near future.

  8. Hmmm. I know what I am making this weekend!

  9. I am so envious you live in a city with lots of good bakeries. The Buttercup shop site has so many baked goods I like. The combination of ingredients is the banana cake will be delicious.

  10. That is the perfect way to use up bananas. This looks so delish!

  11. Mmm what a fabulous treat!! Love this!

  12. I love a serious weakness for crumb cake! Throw in this delicious oat topping, and I think I might be in heaven. 🙂

  13. I love banana sweet treats and this crumb cake sounds so good! Now if only my family wouldn’t eat all my bananas so I can make it

  14. Oats+banana = breakfast, yes? The perfect morning treat!

  15. I adore the crumb topping on top, so tasty and inviting. Totally agree, oats & bananas equal breakfast any day of the week!

  16. This one just went to the top of my ‘to bake’ list!

    • This looks amazing.  I was wondering if I could substitute the bananas with a different fruit, possibly apples.  Or any other suggestion. Thanks so much.  

      • Hi, Carmelina. Bananas are pretty different in baking versus other fruits, so it wouldn’t be a straight substitution. I can’t tell you exactly how to make that change without testing it. You might try this Apple Crumb Cake if you’re wanting something similar with apples. The topping from this cake would work well on that recipe, too.

  17. I just baked this cake and we ate it warm out of the oven. Great balance of flavors. I added chocolate chips to half of the cake and it was delicious. Does fall apart so, not sure, perhaps a tad less oatmeal. Overall though thumbs up and will make again. l

  18. Very good! I didn’t have pecans on hand so used walnuts. Didn’t wait but about 10 minutes before I dug in. After a couple of bites, I went straight to the cupboard for my stand-by canned pineapple to eat with the warm cake. Super scrumptious and very breakfast-worthy. I could also imagine a thinned vanilla yogurt or non-fat sour cream to drizzle on the fruit-cake combo for a really good breakfast starter. Great texture for the cake–surprisingly light. Definitely eat warm!

  19. I used almonds and pecans. This cake tastes amazing!

  20. Totally amazing cake, my go to when I have over ripe bananas!!
    Always a favorite at parties

  21. I made this today. So very good. The topping makes it perfect. Will definitely make this again.

  22. I just spent an hour going through all my old cookbooks trying to find this recipe…hurrah
    for your post…this has been a family favourite since the 1980’s. 

  23. Just made this and have it in the oven. 20 min left and the kitchen smells so good. Cant wait for it to be done and taste it!

  24. Excellent!! My go to breakfast bar! I could eat the whole pan!!

  25. Have you ever doubled this to make a 9×13?

  26. Hi…greetings from Malaysia… Can i use whole wheat flour for the cake instead of all purpose flour…

    • Hello! You can, although you’ll notice a difference in both flavor and texture. I’ve not tried that with this recipe, so I can’t say how pronounced the difference will be. If you have all-purpose flour as well, you might try using half of each. Whatever part of the flour you want to substitute, be sure to substitute the same volume not weight. All-purpose flour is 120g per cup, while whole wheat flour is 113g per cup.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *