Breakfast just got so much better with this cake inspired Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal! It’s made with nutritious and filling rolled oats, crunchy pecans, sweet spices, shredded carrots and it’s finished with a honey cream cheese icing. A fun spring themed dish fit for a weekend brunch or great for a make ahead breakfast.

Prep: 20minutes minutes
Cook: 35minutes minutes
Servings: 9

Ingredients

Dry Mixture

• 2 1/2 cups (220g) rolled oats (old fashioned not quick)
• 1/2 cup chopped (55g) pecans or walnuts
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground dried ginger

Wet Mixture

• 1/3 cup (98g) real maple syrup
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk (preferably 2% or whole)
• 1 cup (slightly packed, 150g) finely grated carrots (about 2 medium large)

Honey Cream Cheese Icing

• 3 oz cream cheese, softened
• 3 Tbsp honey (or more to taste)

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl toss together oats, pecans, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
• In a separate large mixing bowl whisk together maple syrup, applesauce, avocado oil, eggs, vanilla and salt whisking until well combined. Pour in milk and add carrots and whisk.
• Pour oat mixture into milk/carrot mixture and whisk to combined. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer (so the oats and carrots appear evenly spread out and not heaped).
• Bake in preheated oven until set in the center and 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 15 minutes before slicing.
• In a medium mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer whip together the cream cheese and honey for several minutes until its nice and fluffy.
• Serve warm slices of carrot cake baked oatmeal with a fair drizzle of the cream cheese icing. If anyone would like it any sweeter just serve with a little extra honey drizzled over.
• Store the oatmeal covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.