Carrot Cake Baked Oats
Enjoy dessert for breakfast with these moist and flavorful plant-based baked oats inspired by classic carrot cake!
Servings: 9
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or Electric Mixer Optional
- Mixing Bowls
- 9" X 9" Baking Pan
- Grater
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Ground Flaxseeds
- 6 tbsp Water
- ½ cup Rasins
- ¼ cup Maple Syrup
- 1¾ cups Plain Unsweetened Plant-Based Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean Paste
- ¼ cup Plant-Based Butter or Unsweetened Applesauce If using the plant-based butter, it should be melted
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Ginger
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg
- 2¾ cups Old Fashioned Oats Gluten-Free if needed
- 2 tbsp Chia Seeds
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- ¼ tsp Sea Salt
- 1¼ cups Carrots (~2 medium carrots) Finely shredded
- ½ cup Walnuts or Pecans Roughly chopped
Instructions
- Combine ground flaxseed and water in a small bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes to let the mixture gel and create your flax egg. Next, add boiling water to your raisins to plump them up. Let them soak in the water for 5 to 10 minutes and drain.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and either grease or line your 9” x 9” baking pan with parchment paper.
- Add your wet ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer or a mixing bowl: the maple syrup, milk, vanilla, melted butter or apple sauce, and flax egg. Stir well to combine. Nex add in your spices, this ensures they are evenly distributed: cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Add the rest of the dry ingredients to your wet ones: the oats, chia seeds, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Finally, gently fold in the shredded carrots, raisins, and walnuts. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes so the oats can start to absorb some of the moisture; this will result in a more cake-like texture.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish, smoothing the top. Top with additional chopped walnuts or pecans if you would like! Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While the oats are baking, you can make my tofu ricotta*, cream cheese frosting**, or maple cream cheese frosting*** to top the oats with. This is optional
- Remove the baked oatmeal from the oven and let it cool for at least 15 minutes before drizzling the baked oats with any toppings or frosting. Cut into squares and enjoy!
- Storage Instructions: Store any leftover squares in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. These oats also freeze beautifully; simply wrap individual portions in parchment paper and place them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
- Reheating Instructions: Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 45 to 60 seconds or in a toaster oven at 350°F for about 5 minutes until warmed through. If reheating from frozen, allow the square to thaw in the fridge overnight or microwave for 2 minutes on a defrost setting before a final 30-second blast on high.