Cinnamon Bun Oatmeal Cakes

Disclosure: By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by National Dairy Council and the Quaker Oats Center of Excellence and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

I haven't always had a great relationship with breakfast. There was definitely a time in high school were breakfast just made me nauseated. And then in college, living in a dorm my only option was pretty much a Kashi protein bar as I dragged my pathetic non-existant calves up the hills of JMU to the 8 AMs every freshman got saddled with. (Side note: my calf muscles were rocking by mid terms.) And then, I became obsessed with breakfast. Literally every morning the husband and I wake up, make coffee in the Chemex and I'll do up either grits or eggs, or he'll make pancakes. We are breakfast (and definitely brunch) folk. But there are still those times where we both need to get out the door pretty early and would prefer to eat en-route. For those times, part of me still longs for the ease of a Kashi bar...but wants better. Which is why these totally transportable, cinnamon bun tasting oatmeal cakes are perfect. They don't crumble. They come out of the container in a perfect cake. And they're packed with fiber (heck yes oats!) and protein (high five skim milk!) and a few other goodies I threw in to help you power through the day. So let's get cookin' to make you an easy on the run breakfast that makes your house smell amazing. 

Cinnamon Bun Oat Cakes

Makes 3 C batter or 5 individual portion cakes

/// Ingredients /// 

• 2 1/2 C old fashioned, Quaker rolled oats 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
• 2 tablespoons hempseeds
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon chocolate protein powder
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1 egg, whisked

For the glaze: 

• 2 T of 0% or low fat Greek yogurt, vanilla flavor per cake (10 T total for recipe)

/// Directions /// Stir dry ingredients for the cake together in a medium sized bowl. Add the milk and egg and stir to combine completely. Pre-heat the oven to 375 F and add batter to disposable tart liners or muffin liners. At this point in the process you're looking at the batter like "No way is this going to work. I really feel the urge to add more dry ingredients." No. Walk away. Let it do it's thing in the oven where that oat-y goodness soaks up all the liquid. 

 Place on a baking sheet and bake 25-30 minutes, for a container this size. For these single serving tart style containers, it took about 27 minutes. Remove from the oven when browned and the cake begins to pull away from the sides and springs back to touch. Cool on the counter. See? Perfection. 

While the cakes are cooling get your Greek yogurt ready. If you're handy with a spoon, stir the Greek yogurt and create the design. Alternatively, stick it in a ziplock bag or squeeze bottle for a more controlled design. Store cakes in the fridge. 

Here's my favorite thing about this recipe: It is totally to-go-able but way better for you than anything you're buying in the store. This little delicious, practically dessert tasting cake, is going to keep you full and that means less potential for ravenous eating before lunch. Filled up on protein and fiber? That's a total no-brainer morning move.