Have you ever wanted to enjoy the delectable taste of a carrot cake without all the hassle or work that typically goes into it? Well, now you can with this macro-friendly Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bake recipe! Not only is it so easy and quick to make (without compromising on flavor), but this indulgent bake also brings oatmeal and delicious, tender carrots together in one heavenly dish.
Plus, this nutritious meal is super satisfying due to its high fiber content – perfect for both breakfast or brunch. Keep reading for everything you need to know about creating your very own carrot cake oatmeal bake!
With Easter right around the corner, all things carrot cake are on my mind! I never tried carrot cake until a few years ago and absolutely fell in love.
The spice cake and cream cheese frosting is such a perfect combination. So of course I had to make a more nutritious option filled with the same components of a carrot cake. If you're a fan of carrot cake too, then you'll love this baked oatmeal recipe that brings all those delicious flavors to your morning meal!
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3 Reasons Why You Will Love This Macro Friendly Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bake Recipe
- Perfect balance of healthy and indulgence: Carrots and oats are all packed with nutrients, but the cream cheese frosting drizzled on top gives it that extra wow factor.
- Super easy to make: With just a few simple ingredients and a baking dish, you'll have a delicious breakfast for the whole week!
- It’s versatile: You can eat it warm or cold, with some fresh fruits or a side of chicken sausage. So go ahead, whip up a batch of carrot cake oatmeal bake and make your breakfast game stronger!
Ingredients
- Oatmeal: I used Quaker’s Oats Old Fashioned. You will also blend some of the oats to make your own oat flour!
- Freshly grated carrots: I highly recommend grating your own carrots because it helps to add moisture to your bake. Store bought carrots shreds do not have as much moisture and may change your oatmeal bake’s moisture level.
- Baking staples: You will need salt, baking powder, vanilla extract cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Protein powder: I used PEScience vanilla protein powder which is a whey/casein blend. Feel free to use your favorite protein powder brand! Level-1 is can be a great option, so can Clean Simple Eats Vanilla Protein.
- Sweetener: I used Splenda granular sugar alternative to help keep the calories within reason. You can use your favorite sweetener here!
- Canned pumpkin: This is a great way to add moisture to your cake instead of oils. It has a pretty bland taste, so you won’t be able to taste it.
- Unsweetened applesauce: This helps tis another great replacement for oil, butter, and sugar!
- Egg: This helps to bind all the goodness and provides moisture.
- Pancake syrup: I used sugar-free pancake syrup. You can use pure maple syrup if you prefer.
- Milk: I used 2% milk. You may use whatever milk alternative you prefer.
- Frosting: For the cream cheese frosting, I used Neufchatel cheese to lower the fat content, as well as confectioner sugar, sugar free maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
Kitchen Tools Required
- Small bowl
- Medium bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Whisk
- Grater
- 8×8 casserole dish
- Blender (if needing to make your own oat flour)
How to Make Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 8 x 8 inch dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- To make your own oat flour, simply blend your oatmeal in the blender until smooth and no oat pieces are visual.
- In a small bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients (oatmeal, oat flour, protein powder, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon).
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk the egg and add the wet ingredients (applesauce, pumpkin, vanilla, syrup, and milk) Whisk until smooth. Then, stir in the grated carrots until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until all ingredients are combined and saturated.
- Pour the batter into your prepared casserole dish.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes.When checking with a toothpick, insert the toothpick into the center of the back and it should come out clean.
- While the oatmeal bake is in the oven, prepare the frosting.
- In a large bowl, whisk the cream cheese, maple syrup and vanilla together until smooth.
- Add the confectioner’s sugar and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Once baked is removed from the oven, allow the bake to cool to room temperature and then frost. Serve and enjoy!
Swaps or Alternatives
In terms of the sweetener, you could use agave or honey if you prefer to instead of the sugar free maple syrup.Â
To make this dairy free friendly, swap the milk and cream cheese for your favorite dairy alternatives such as almond milk!
Quick Tip(s)
To keep this bake moist, I recommend grating your own carrots. Store bought carrots are using bigger and stiffer due to being a bit dryer. Preferably, grate your carrots to be finer so that they blend perfectly into your bake!
This bake makes the perfect meal prep breakfast, so I highly recommend making a batch earlier in the week to have ready for your busy mornings!
FAQ’s
I don’t want to make my own oat flour, can I use a different flour?
Absolutely! This recipe is super versatile that if you need to switch up the flours, you can. You can use all purpose flour, Bob’s Red Mill’s Gluten Free flour, or coconut flour.
How do I store this oatmeal bake?
This oatmeal bake lasts the best when kept in the fridge and eaten within 1 week for the best flavor. You can also freeze this bake! Just portion out into individual slices, wrap it in plastic wrap, and store in a Ziploc bag with the air removed. The slices will stay fresh for up to 3 months for best flavor.
Can I double this recipe?
100%, That is such a wonderful idea, especially if you have a bigger family! Use a 9×13 baking dish instead of the 8×8 to fit the bake into!
Do I have to use the cream cheese frosting?Â
Absolutely not! If you don’t like cream cheese, feel free to leave it off. You can top it with whatever you’d like- almond butter drizzle, maple syrup, or even Greek yogurt!
Macros & Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 square
| Macros | Nutrition |
|---|---|
| Calories | 143 |
| Protein | 6.7g |
| Carbs | 17.2g |
| Fat | 5g |
Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bake
Equipment
- 1 Small bowl
- 1 Medium bowl
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 whisk
- 1 Grater
- 1 8×8 casserole dish
- 1 Blender (if needing to make your own oat flour)
Ingredients
- 1 cup oats
- 4 tbsp oat flour
- 1 scoop protein powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ cup Splenda granular sweetener
- ½ cup canned pumpkin
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sugar-free maple syrup
- ½ cup milk
- 2 cups carrots, grated
Vanilla Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 oz block Neufchatel cheese
- 2 tbsp sugar-free maple syrup
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 8 x 8 inch dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- To make your own oat flour, simply blend your oatmeal in the blender until smooth and no oat pieces are visual.
- In a small bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients (oatmeal, oat flour, protein powder, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon).
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk the egg and add the wet ingredients (applesauce, pumpkin, vanilla, syrup, and milk) Whisk until smooth. Then, stir in the grated carrots until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until all ingredients are combined and saturated.
- Pour the batter into your prepared casserole dish.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes.When checking with a toothpick, insert the toothpick into the center of the back and it should come out clean.
- While the oatmeal bake is in the oven, prepare the frosting.
- In a large bowl, whisk the cream cheese, maple syrup and vanilla together until smooth.
- Add the confectioner’s sugar and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Once baked is removed from the oven, allow the bake to cool to room temperature and then frost. Serve and enjoy!
