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This breakfast cake is light, fluffy, and is your excuse to have dessert for breakfast! NO butter, NO oil, and NO flour are needed, it’s healthy, full of cinnamon flavor, and made in just one bowl!
Breakfast Cake
I’m the kind of person who MUST start their day on a sweet note. If I’m not making cinnamon rolls or breakfast brownies, I’m definitely enjoying a slice of this breakfast cake.
I’ve never been someone who could just have eggs or toast for breakfast. Call me extra but as someone with a sweet tooth, if my breakfast tastes like dessert then I’m a happy camper. As someone who loves a slice of cake for dessert, it was only natural for me to create one for breakfast.
This breakfast cake recipe is one that will officially change your morning meal routine. It may look like dessert but trust me, it’s full of healthy and wholesome ingredients. Pair it with some eggs or a protein shake and you’ll have a well-balanced breakfast!
No dairy, no refined sugar, and no butter are needed, but you’d never tell. The texture is perfectly light and fluffy in the middle with a tender crumb. It’s pleasantly sweet and has a lovely cinnamon flavor, and a single slice keeps you perfectly satisfied and energized!
I actually love throwing a big brunch for my friends and serving this cake as part of the spread- NO ONE believes me when I tell them it’s healthy!
How do you make a breakfast cake?
The Ingredients
- Rolled oats– The oats will be blended to a flour texture. Be sure to use certified gluten free oats, if needed.
- Sugar of choice– Any granulated sweetener can be used. I used coconut sugar for this particular cake.
- Baking powder– Gives the cake some rise and fluffiness.
- Salt– Brings out the sweetness of the cake.
- Egg OR flax egg– You can use either an egg or if you are plant based, a flax egg. To make a flax egg, combine 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water. Let it sit for 10 minutes, for a gel to form.
- Vanilla extract– A must for any good cake or baked good recipe!
- Almond butter– Smooth and drippy almond butter, with no added sugar or salt.
- Milk of choice– I used unsweetened almond milk, but any milk can be used.
- Frosting– Optional, but I love adding a smear of cream cheese frosting on top.
The Instructions
In a high speed blender or food processor, add your oats and blend until a very fine, almost powder-like consistency. Add the rest of your ingredients and blend well, until a thick batter remains. Transfer your batter into an 8-inch cake pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out the center clean. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan completely, before frosting it.
Tips to make the best recipe
- Do not overbake the cake, otherwise, it will dry out. Remember, the cake continues to cook as it cools down.
- The cake MUST be cooled before frosting, or it will be too much like liquid/drippy.
- Do not substitute any of the ingredients unless specifically stated.
Storing, freezing, and serving tips
- To store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to one week.
- To freeze: Place slices of the cake in a shallow container and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- What to serve with this breakfast cake: This cake is delicious on its own, but if you’d like to increase the protein, pair it with a protein shake or some eggs.
More healthy breakfast recipes to try
- Breakfast cookies
- Oatmeal breakfast bars
- Coconut milk chia pudding
- Blueberry breakfast cookies
- Protein cereal
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe requires oats to be broken down into a flour-like consistency. It cannot be substituted for wheat flour, white flour, or grain free alternatives.
You can substitute the almond butter with smooth peanut butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, or tahini.
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Breakfast Cake (No flour or eggs!)
Video
Ingredients
For the breakfast cake
- 2 cups rolled oats gluten free, if needed
- 1/2 cup granulated sweetener of choice
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk of choice I used unsweetened almond milk
- 1 flax egg can use 1 large egg * See notes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoon almond butter ** See notes
For the frosting
- 1 cup cream cheese frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease an 8-inch cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a high speed blender or food processor, add your oats and blend until a powder like consistency remains. Add the rest of your ingredients and blend until a thick batter remains.
- Transfer the batter to the greased cake pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer comes on clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting, if desired.
awesome recipe, as are your other recipes
Thank you!
So welcome, Rachel!
Oh My Goodness, this is soooooo yummy. I did have to bake mine for 50 mins though. I did seem to be runny after I mixed everything together. I made the Protein frosting and would definitely decrease the amount to 2 scoops. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
You are so welcome, Sue!
Hello there! Love your recipes! How about a ginger cookie recipe someday? Thanks so much for considering this! Nancy
Sure, maybe in the future!
Wondering if you have the calories and macros for this? Any other nutrition info for those of us doing Keto
Sure! If you go to myfitnesspal and plug in the ingredients, it will provide it all for you! 🙂
Hi, the recipe looks great and the cake looks so fluffy.
What can I use instead of almond butter? Would applesauce or yoghurt work?
Thanks,
Priya
Hi Priya! You can use peanut butter, sunflower seed butter etc
Which frosting option is pictured in the photos above?!!!
Hi Amanda! The protein-packed frosting Option 🙂
I made this this morning with a couple of substitutions (out of some ingredients and no time to shop) and it was delicious!!! I used regular sugar because I was out of coconut palm sugar, and that was fine. The only nut butter I had was maple almond butter, and I figured the maple could only improve the flavor! I baked it in an 8×11 pan, and it was plenty thick. I also didn’t have all of the ingredients for any of the frosting options, so I decided to whip up a (slightly more unhealthy, because I lacked other options!) glaze. I used a bit of powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk to make a simple glaze, but it was too sweet on top of the dense cake. So i crushed some blackberries into the glaze to thin it out and make it a bit tart. Heavenly!! Cinnamon cake with a blackberry glaze…. a new favorite recipe!
LOVE the blackberry twist on this- I’ll need to try it out next time 🙂
Dumb question. Does T stand for teaspoon or tablespoon?
Hi Cindy! Not a dumb question at all- it stands for tablespoon, so 15mls 🙂
This was delicious! Made it for brunch on Christmas Eve, everyone loved it. Not too sweet, full of flavor! Will def make again 🙂
Jen, you absolutely made my day- Hope you had a fantastic Christmas and look forward to sharing more with you in 2017! Happy New Year!
This may have been asked, but is it a whole Tablespoon of baking powder? That seems like a huge amount, I want to double check before I tried this. Thanks!
What size loaf pan are you using and which version (Paleo, vegan…) did you photograph?
Hi Julia! That is using the vegan/oat based version and the loaf pan is 8 x 8 inch.
You are seriously taking over my pinterest, and I am not complaining! :)) Every single recipe I pin now is dessert. But thank goodness it is healthy! This recipe is SO going down this week. Thank you and keep ’em coming!
😀 That means so much- Glad to have you here, Olivia!
What does T stand for….tablespoons or teaspoon?
Hi Cassandra! It stands for tablespoon 🙂