Indulge in the cozy vibes of our Carrot Cake Baked Oats for an easy meal prep breakfast, rich in fiber, and protein. This recipe is two of my favorite things combined. Carrot Cake and warm, cozy oats. It really feels indulgent as a breakfast but is so nutritious and satisfying. Whether you enjoy it hot or cold, it’s a breakfast I can’t wait to wake up to!
The optional protein frosting is a game-changer, made with vanilla protein powder and thick soy yogurt. It’s well worth adding if you can! The shredded carrots blend seamlessly into the oats, providing a natural sweetness and an extra boost of nutrients. Plus, the blend of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger will make your kitchen smell like a bakery. It’s the ultimate comfort food that happens to be super nourishing. It also pairs SO well with a nice morning beverage like a coffee or matcha latte!
Why You’ll Love These Carrot Cake Baked Oats
- Meal Prep Friendly: Make it once, enjoy it all week.
- Nutrient-rich: Packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
- Budget-friendly: We calculated that each serving (without the protein-icing) comes to around 90 cents AUD!
Ingredient Notes
- Ground Flaxseed: Acts as a vegan egg substitute.
- Soy Milk: You can also use almond or oat milk.
- Maple Syrup: You could also use date syrup or agave if you prefer. Some chopped Medjool dates would also be a great alternative.
- Peanut Butter: Almond butter works well too.
- Soy Yogurt: For the icing, we want a thick type of plant-based yogurt. Some can be a bit too thin. A thick Greek-style yogurt worked really well for us.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat your oven to so that the Carrot Cake Baked Oats cook evenly. Prepare the flax egg by combining ground flaxseeds with warm water and allowing it to set for 5 minutes. Then add it to a large mixing bowl along with the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger powder, baking powder, maple syrup, peanut butter, and soy milk, and stir well.
Add the oats, carrots, and walnuts, stir thoroughly and transfer to a loaf pan, lined with baking paper.
Let it bake for 45 minutes at 350F (180C) until golden brown. If you’re going to add the top layer of protein-icing, combine vanilla protein powder with soy yogurt and mix thoroughly. Layer on top of the Carrot Cake Baked Oats.
Add your toppings such as grated carrot and chopped walnuts and let it cool down slightly before slicing.
FAQ
- Is this gluten-free? Yes, use certified gluten-free oats if necessary.
- Is it plant-based? Absolutely!
- How long does it keep?: Up to 5 days in the fridge
- Should I eat it hot or cold? They are both great, and I honestly couldn’t decide which one I preferred! If you want to enjoy it warm later in the week, I’d recommend keeping the icing separate and adding some to the slice of cake you’re going to eat after heating it.
Variations and Tips
- Add Fruits: Blueberries or apple chunks add a sweet twist.
- Spice It Up: Try adding a pinch of cardamom or cloves.
- Make It Nut-Free: Use sunflower seeds instead of walnuts, and seed butter instead of peanut.
Carrot Cake Baked Oats
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 4 tbsp warm water
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 1¼ cups soy milk
- 2 cups oats
- 2 carrots, shredded
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Protein Icing
- ½ cup vanilla protein powder
- 1 cup thick soy yogurt (Greek-style yogurt)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F (180C) fan forced. Prepare a loaf pan by lining it with baking paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the ground flaxseeds with warm water to create a flax egg. Allow it to set for about 5 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flax egg, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger powder, baking powder, maple syrup, peanut butter, and soy milk. Mix well.
- Stir in the rolled oats, shredded carrots, raisins, and chopped walnuts until well combined.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Allow the baked oats to cool slightly before slicing. Mix vanilla protein powder with thick soy yogurt and top each slice before serving.
Could the flax seed egg be substituted for an actual egg in this recipe? If so would you use just one?
Cant wait to try this either way, it sounds delicious!
I’m not sure, I have not cooked with eggs in a long time 🙂
This was good, especially with the sauce. I used large flake oats (and it was a bit “lumpy” as a result) so I think I would blend at least 1/3 of the oats to make into a flour of sorts next time.
Hey Julie, I’m glad you liked it! Let us know how you go with the oat flour 🙂
Hi. I was wondering if you could substitute almond meal/flour (or perhaps a mix with coconut flour or a bit more ground flax?) for the oats. I did a quick look online and I’m not seeing a lot of info. TY! Carrot cake is my ALL TIME FAVORITE FOOD and your recipe looks amazing!
I have not tried, let us know if you do 🙂
What type of peanut butter do you prefer?
I always use natural peanut butter (99% peanut, salt, no oil). Smooth or crunchy can be used here 🙂
Hi! Do you think this would work in a 8×8 in baking pan?
I think it will, but it might be fairly thiner, so you might want to twist the cooking time a bit 🙂
Can’t wait to try these! My oven doesn’t have a fan – I’m wondering how that changes the cooking time?
I’m not sure where I went wrong. Mine was way too liquidy. Baked for an additional 20 minutes and that helped slightly. I guess maybe next time I’ll use less liquid. Otherwise the taste was delicious.
Oh no, I’m surprised to hear that, did you use rolled oats?
I am not vegan or vegetarian but I love watching your videos! This is the first recipe I’ve tried mostly because it’s “carrot cake” and baked oats all at the same time. It turned out moist and yummy! I made a cream cheese frosting with real cream cheese and monk fruit powdered sugar.
I also have to say I’ve tried baked oatmeal recipes before and have been disappointed so much I went back to just making oatmeal. Thank you for this delicious breakfast/dessert
I’m so happy to hear this! Thank you for the lovely feedback 💚
What would happen if made in muffin tins? Excited to try this recipe 😊
Love this idea! You might want to reduce the cooking time, I have not tried it but I would guess 25 to 30 minutes woudl do. Let us know if you try it 🙂
This recipe was delicious, I meal prepped this for breakfasts during the week. It kept well for 4 days, the 5th portion was eaten by my hubby (said he couldn’t tell that it was vegan) I’ll be making this again , thanks for the recipe 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Hi Dawn, thank you so much for letting me know, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Yes it holds up so well doesn’t it?! We were finishing it on the 5th day and it was still so good. 🥰