If you love cake for breakfast but still want a nourishing start to the day, this Carrot Cake Baked Oats recipe is perfect for you. It’s also lovely as an afternoon snack, and I’ve even cut it into bite-sized pieces (once cooled) to bring along to gatherings as a sweet but nourishing treat. If you love this one, my high-protein blueberry baked oats, apple cranberry baked oatmeal, and brownie baked oats are next on the rotation.
This recipe brings together two of my favorites, carrot cake and warm, cozy oats. It feels so indulgent, but it’s full of fiber, healthy fats, and protein to keep you satisfied. You can enjoy it hot or cold, and it’s one of those meals I genuinely look forward to.
The optional protein frosting is such a nice addition, made with vanilla protein powder and thick soy yogurt. The shredded carrots melt right into the oats, adding natural sweetness and extra nutrients, while the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger make your whole kitchen smell like a bakery. It’s wholesome, comforting, and so yummy!
Why I love this recipe (as a nutritionist)
- Fiber-rich: 7 g fiber per serving supports digestion and satiety
- Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats if needed
- Meal prep friendly: Keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days
- Naturally sweetened: Uses carrots, raisins, and maple syrup for gentle sweetness
- Plant-based: 100% vegan and easily adaptable to different dietary needs
Ingredient notes
- Rolled oats: Oats are rich in fiber, especially beta-glucan, which supports heart health and helps keep blood sugar steady.
- Carrots: Add natural sweetness, fiber, and beta-carotene for vitamin A.
- Walnuts: A source of healthy fats, protein, and crunch. Swap with sunflower seeds for a nut-free version.
- Ground flaxseed: Creates a flax egg for binding and adds omega-3s.
- Protein icing: Made with soy yogurt and vanilla protein powder for extra creaminess and a boost of protein.
How to make this recipe (summary)
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (180°C) and preparing a loaf pan with baking paper and shred the carrots with a box grater.
Make the flax egg by mixing ground flaxseed with warm water and letting it thicken for 5 minutes.
Combine with soy milk, peanut butter, maple syrup, baking powder, and spices in a bowl. Stir in the oats, shredded carrots, raisins, and walnuts until well mixed.
Transfer to the loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes until golden.
Cool slightly before slicing.
Mix protein powder with thick soy yogurt for the optional protein icing. View recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Variations and tips
- Nut-free: Swap walnuts with sunflower and pumpkin seeds
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If meal prepping, I recommend keeping the icing separate until ready to eat for the best texture.
- Styling: Sprinkle with a little bit of shredded carrots and walnuts or pecans. Note that shredded carrots will get a little dry in the fridge after a few days, so I usually skip this when meal prepping.
- Cooled down: The baked oats will be more fragile when warm. If you want nice, regular pieces, wait until it cools down to slice
- If you like this recipe, you’ll also love our Apple Pie Baked Oats, High-Protein Tiramisu Baked Oats or Pumpkin Spice Baked Oats.
Why you’ll love this carrot cake baked oats TLDR
- Protein-packed
- Fiber-rich
- Meal-prep ready
- Cozy spices
- Plant-based
FAQ
Yes, use certified gluten-free oats if needed.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Yes, replace walnuts with seeds and peanut butter with sunflower seed butter.
It is optional but adds creaminess and extra protein.
Yes, slice and freeze portions for up to 2 months, then reheat before serving.
Yes, any plant milk works.
2 medium carrots, about 60 to 70 g each.
Yes. Bake for around 25 to 30 minutes (a reader confirmed 30 minutes works perfectly for mini cupcakes). Let them cool completely before removing from the pan so they hold their shape.
Yes, add some vanilla protein powder to the batter along with a bit more milk. My high-protein blueberry baked oats is a good template for the ratios.
Use rolled oats, not quick oats or steel-cut. Rolled oats absorb the most liquid and give the right baked-oats texture.
Natural peanut butter (99% peanut, salt, no oil). Smooth or crunchy both work.
The grittiness usually comes from the protein powder, especially natural pea proteins without fillers. You can skip the protein powder and use a vanilla yogurt instead (soy or similar keeps the protein up). I use Happy Way vanilla.
Carrot Cake Baked Oats
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (14 g) ground flaxseed
- ¼ cup (60 ml) warm water
- 1½ tsp (4 g) ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp (1 g) ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp (1 g) ground ginger
- 1 tsp (4.5 g) baking powder
- ¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup
- 2 tbsp (30 g) peanut butter
- 1¼ cups (300 ml) soy milk
- 2 cups (160 g) rolled oats
- 2 carrots - shredded
- ½ cup (70 g) raisins
- ½ cup (60 g) raw walnuts - roughly chopped
Protein Icing
- ½ cup (55 g) vanilla protein powder
- 1 cup (240 g) thick soy yogurt - Greek-style yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F (180C) fan forced. Line a loaf pan (9.5x5x2.5in) (24x13x6.5cm) 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, on the middle rack, until the top is golden brown.
- Prepare the icing: mix the yogurt and protein powder until homogeneous.
- Allow the baked oats to cool slightly before slicing. The longer it cools, the firmer it gets and the easier it is to slice. Top with the protein icing, and optionally some extra shredded carrots and walnuts.
Notes
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This was absolutely delicious, thank you! One of my favourite recipes that I now make regularly.
I’m so happy to hear that. Thank you so much for sharing, Val 🥰
Having saved this recipe months ago, I FINALLY had all the required ingredients in the house so made this yesterday with great excitement!! I didn’t have enough raisins so I chopped up a couple of dried prunes to make up the quantity & it worked perfectly! .. Oh my word, it is absolutely deeeelish! I have just finished a slice with my decaf coffee in work and honestly, it felt like I should have been eating it a fancy café! Incredible texture, so tasty, nicely filling and just utterly delicious! I will definitely be making this on rotation!! Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Oh, I love that! Thank you so much for showing Amanda. That makes me so happy! Very smart to swap some chopped dried prunes. I can see how it would work really well in this. ❤️
Made cupcakes using this recipe. Swapped out the walnuts for pecans and the raisins for sultanas. I’m not sure what I did wrong but my batter was too wet? I ended up adding protein powder to the mix and then it was perfect. These required 30min in the oven. Taste amazing!
Hey Anne, I love the idea of making mini cupcakes with this! It looks so cute! Thank you so much for sharing your tips and cooking time. That’s so helpful for everyone.
Have to admit I was a bit skeptical but this was delicious! I wanted something that was make ahead, healthy and quick. I followed the recipe exactly – only had plant based Greek style yogurt so it was a bit of a thicker topping but will def make again!
I’m so happy it exceeded expectations haha! Thank you so much for sharing, Nancy 💚
Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe on IG! I just made it and it is yummy. I used vegan vanilla almond based Greek Yogurt for the frosting but only 30 grams of the protein powder as the yogurt wouldn’t take anymore. I think next time I will take your suggestion from another person and add the rest of the protein powder and a little more soy milk to the recipe. I look forward to finishing off this loaf and making it again!
What a beautiful loaf, Kristin. I’m so happy you loved it. Thank you so much for sharing your tips. I love the idea of putting some of the protein powder directly into the oats 💚
I like to make this tomorrow but would like to make small muffins, so I was wondering if that’s possible and what the baking time would be? Thanks
Hi Rita, that sounds delicious, I’m sure it would work, but unsure about the baking time, 35 minutes might be a good guess? Let us know how you go!
I would make sure they have completely cooled down before removing to the pan, or they are likely to not hold their shape 💚
DELISH! I tried it today thinking it was going to be a good breakfast, but honestly it tastes more like dessert. It is so filling and comforting, perfect for the winter weather.
Note: I switched peanut butter for almond butter and used only about 30 g Maple Syrup (because I ran out). It was still SO good and the sweetness from the protein frosting made up for any missing sweetness in the baked oats.
Thank you so much for sharing your tips Kaela, I’m so happy you loved it!
Love your almond flour crackers and generous numerous recipe. Will try to bake the carrot cake this weekend. Thank you so much
Thank you so much Carol, I am so happy to hear that 💚 Let me know how you go with the carrot cake x
Would there be any way to work some protein powder into the batter to make it a little higher protein overall?
Absolutely, you can add some vanilla protein powder to the batter and a bit more milk! Great idea 🙂 We did something similar in the recipe below, if you’re looking for some ratio 🙂
https://plantbaes.com/high-protein-blueberry-baked-oats/
This was absolutely delicious, thank you!
So happy you enjoyed it, thank you for sharing Heidi 💚
This looks lovely. Could you sub the soy milk for almond?
Absolutely 🙂
I made this yesterday evening and just had this for breakfast. It’s soooo good! Tastes just like a carrot cake with the yoghurt on top.
I used almonds instead of walnuts because that’s what I had at home and it tasted great with it too! Will definitely make again.
I’m so happy to hear that Elisa, Thank you for sharing your tips too 💚
Can I use a real egg instead of a flax egg?
Sorry, I don’t have experience baking with eggs, so I’m not sure how to advise here. Let us know if you experiment with the recipe!
Found on Instagram and loved it! 100% will make again.
So happy you liked it 💕
Hi! Thank you for sharing this recipe. Do you think it would be possible if I use kefir instead of soy milk?
Hey Antonia, I think that’s a lovely idea. Kefir is usually thicker than soy milk, so perhaps three-quarters kefir, one-quarter water, just to keep it nice and smooth to bind all the ingredients together. Let us know how you go!
Wow, this was exactly what I needed on a chilly morning! Healthy, filling, tasted practically like cake. I’d never have thought to mix vanilla protein powder with yoghurt but it really finished off the oats. I used a nut butter which was a blend of peanut, cashew, coconut and cardamom which added a nice warmth. Will definitely make again, can’t wait to try the apple pie baked oats!
Hey Deborah, thank you so much for your lovely review, I’m so happy you loved it, and can’t wait for you to try the Apple Pie one 💚