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Warm, spiced, and topped with a creamy cottage cheese frosting. This oat carrot cake packs 25 grams of protein per serving and 5 grams of fiber.
For my mom’s birthday, I decided I wanted to surprise her with a delicious carrot cake recipe, but since she’s on a healthy journey, I knew I had to modify my current recipe.
This protein oat carrot cake is warm, spiced, and loaded with grated carrots, walnuts, and creamy cottage cheese. It’s a great way to satisfy your carrot cake cravings, but with a recipe that packs 24 grams of protein and over 5 grams of fiber.
Now, this recipe is not only a good option when you are trying to satisfy your sweet cravings.
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Pin ItIt can also be a great option for those picky eaters who won’t eat veggies, or when you are trying to boost your fiber intake throughout the day.
Ingredients and Substitutes
Medium ripe bananas, mashed (3)
Medium eggs (2)
Milk (3/4 cup) – Use any plant-based milk, like almond, oat, or soy.
Greek yogurt (1/2 cup)
Rolled oats (2 cups) – I’ve only tested this with rolled oats, so I can’t recommend a swap.
Vanilla protein powder (2 scoops)
Grated carrot (1 cup) – Switch with grated zucchini (just make sure you drain the excess water first).
Chopped walnuts (1/2 cup) – Replace with pecans, almonds, or sunflower seeds.
Maple syrup (2 tbsp) – You can also use honey or agave.
Cinnamon (1 tsp) – Swap the ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and nutmeg with pumpkin spice mix (1½ tsp).
Ground ginger (1/4 tsp)
Nutmeg (1/4 tsp)
Baking powder (1 tsp)
Pinch of sea salt
TOPPING
Cottage cheese (1 cup) – Blend ricotta cheese or use more Greek yogurt.
Greek yogurt (2 tbsp) – You can also use mascarpone or whipped cream.
Splash of vanilla – Replace with vanilla paste or almond extract.
Honey, for drizzling (2 tbsp) – Use maple syrup or date syrup for an alternative.
Ground cinnamon, for dusting – Swap with pumpkin spice or cocoa powder.
How to Make Protein Oat Carrot Cake
Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350F and prepare an 8×8-inch baking dish by lightly greasing it. Grab a large bowl and add the mashed bananas, eggs, milk, Greek yogurt, and maple syrup.
Give all the ingredients a good stir.
Step 2. Add the rolled oats, protein powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Combine all the ingredients.
Step 3. Add the grated carrot and chopped walnuts.
Step 4. Pour the batter into the baking dish. Use a spatula to level it out.
Step 5. Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the center is set and the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 15-20 minutes.
Step 6. Blend the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and vanilla until it creates a smooth frosting. Spread it on top of the cooled baked oats.
Step 7. Drizzle 2 tbsp of honey on top.
Step 8. Then, dust with ground cinnamon and cut it into 6 rectangles.
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Pin ItHow I Would Modify This Recipe
- Going gluten-free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free; just make sure that the rolled oats are certified gluten-free.
- Making it nut–free: Remove the walnuts or replace them with pumpkin seeds.
- Add more fiber: Try adding an extra tablespoon of ground flaxseeds or chia seeds.
- Make it chocolatey: Add some dark chocolate chips to the batter if you want to make it extra indulgent.
- Adding dried fruit: You can also try adding a handful of raisins or chopped dried apricots to add a bit more sweetness.
My Tips & Tricks
- Toasting the nuts: Try toasting the walnuts before adding them to create a deeper, nuttier flavor.
- Let it cool down: Give the cake enough time to cool down. Adding the cottage cheese topping on top when it’s still hot can make it melt or slide off.
- Using fresh ingredients: Use freshly grated carrots instead of pre-shredded bags since they tend to be moister and blend better into the batter.
My Storage Tips
I love to keep this recipe with me during a week when I know my sweet cravings are thriving. Once it has cooled completely, place it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You can also keep it in the freezer; however, there are a couple of things I recommend. Wrap them in individual portions, and don’t add the topping until you are ready to eat.
Protein Oat Carrot Cake
Cals: 396 Protein: 24.5 Carbs: 49.7 Fat: 12.7
Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe bananas mashed
- 2 medium eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp baking powder
- pinch of sea salt
Topping
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
- Splash of vanilla
- 2 tbsp honey for drizzling
- Ground cinnamon for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, mix mashed bananas, eggs, milk, Greek yogurt, and maple syrup until well combined.
- Stir in rolled oats, protein powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt.
- Fold in grated carrot and chopped walnuts.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the center is set and the edges are lightly golden.
- Let cool for 15–20 minutes.
- Blend cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and vanilla until completely smooth.
- Spread the cottage cheese topping over the cooled baked oats.
- Drizzle 2 tbsp honey over the top, then dust with ground cinnamon.
- Scoop 6 servings and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
