Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
Transform your favorite kind of cake into a nourishing breakfast casserole with this easy recipe! Featuring tender coconut, warm spices, crunchy nuts and a drizzle of cream cheese icing, Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal is fit for a king. Gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free with grain-free, paleo, vegan and low-carb options.
Ingredients
For the Baked Oatmeal
- 1 large egg for vegan – combine 1 tbsp ground flax seeds with 2.5 tbsp water, then let rest to thicken
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce or mashed ripened banana
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or another liquid sweetener of your choice, plus more depending on how sweet you like it
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk or any other milk of your choice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground flax seeds optional
- 2 1/3 cups gluten-free old fashioned rolled oats for grain-free/paleo – combine 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped coconut flakes with 2/3 cup roughly chopped almonds
- 3/4 cup grated carrots about 1 large carrot or 2 small carrots, plus a little bit more for the topping if desired
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut plus more for topping
- Chopped pecans or walnuts for topping
- Raisins for topping
For the Glaze
- 4 ounces dairy-free cream cheese room temperature (or regular if not dairy-free)
- 1-2 Tbsp pure maple syrup or preferred sticky liquid sweetener
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with avocado oil spray or olive oil spray. Set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, applesauce, maple syrup, vanilla and milk until combined. Add baking powder, cinnamon and flax seeds if using.
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Stir in the oats, grated carrots and shredded coconut.
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Spread batter evenly into a casserole dish. Sprinkle it with walnuts and raisins.
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Bake in a preheated oven until just set and no longer jiggly, about 30-35 minutes.
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Meanwhile, make the glaze. In a small bowl, use a fork or spatula to combine the cream cheese, maple syrup and vanilla and mix until smooth, adding more maple syrup to taste/desired consistency.
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Once the oatmeal is done, remove the pan from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving.
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Drizzle the glaze in a zigzag pattern [use a spoon if the consistency is thinner and a pipe using a piping bag/ziplock bag with a corner tip cut off if the consistency is thicker like frosting. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon, some more grated carrots, walnuts and raisins if desired
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Cut, serve and enjoy!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- To Store: Wrap baking dish tightly in plastic wrap or transfer individual servings to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To Reheat: Cover large portions with foil and reheat in a 325°F oven until warmed through, about 15-20 minutes. Reheat individual servings in the toaster oven at the same temperature or microwave in 30-second intervals.
- To Freeze: Wrap each cooled serving in cling wrap and freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.