Healthy Breakfast Cake

This Healthy Breakfast Cake is a perfect healthy breakfast made with real food ingredients, in a blender and lasts for up to 5 days!

My other favorite way to eat dessert for breakfast is this healthy blueberry breakfast cake and breakfast cookies.

A healthy breakfast cake with sweet potato and apple might sound a bit unusual, but it is so delicious, even my kids loved it! I enjoyed mine warm with a dollop of creamy yogurt, maple syrup and a cup of coffee.

It’s a delicious alternative to eating regular oatmeal or muffins for breakfast. It’s also freezer-friendly and perfect for meal prep!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Real food ingredients: We are talking about sweet potatoes, apples and oats! No flour or refined sugar are involved in this healthy breakfast recipe.
• Made in a blender: A simple one bowl recipe where the high speed blender is your bowl and clean up is a breeze.
• Customizable: Swap sweet potatoes for other veggies. See variations below.
• So delicious: The texture of this oatmeal breakfast cake is soft, flavor is warm and sweet, it just melts in your mouth!

Ingredients for Healthy Breakfast Cake

You will need just a handful of simple ingredients and regular baking essentials for this healthy breakfast cake recipe!

• Sweet potato: You’ll need 1 1/4 cups of cubed sweet potatoes or yams, no need to cook or peel. Look for ones that are firm with a smooth skin for the best sweet flavor.
• Apple: Core and chop up your favorite apple variety. For a sweeter taste, go for red apples like Fuji or Gala. Granny smith brings a bit of tartness, or mix both for a well-rounded flavor.
• Milk: Choose any type of milk. Whole, skim, or dairy-free milk will work.
• Eggs: 2 large eggs bind and fluff up the cake.
• Maple syrup or honey: I chose maple syrup but both sweeteners enhance the flavors of sweet potato and apple.
• Baking staples: Pure vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Oats: You can use rolled oats or quick oats. I don’t think steel cut oats will work. Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats if you or someone you cook for has celiac disease.
• Nuts: Garnishing with almonds, cashews, pecans, or walnuts adds a nice crunch. I added cashews.
• Coconut flakes (optional): I also sprinkled coconut flakes on top, but you don’t have to.
• Cooking spray: For greasing the pan.

How to Make Healthy Breakfast Cake

Here’s a step-by-step overview of how to make healthy breakfast cake. You’ll spend just 10 minutes prepping before it hits the oven.

There is a full recipe card below.

• Prep: Preheat the oven to 375 F and coat a pie baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
• Blend ingredients: Place sweet potato, apple, milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and oats into a high-speed blender. Blend for approximately 30 seconds or until the apples and sweet potato are finely ground and all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
• Garnish: Pour the batter into the prepared pie dish, tap it gently to level, and then sprinkle with nuts and coconut flakes.
• Bake: Pop it in the oven for 40 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean. Once it’s done, take it out, let it cool for around 20 minutes, then cut it into 8 slices.
• Serve: Enjoy it warm on its own or paired with a dollop of Greek yogurt, topped with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

Tips for Best Results

Here are my simple tips for putting together this easy breakfast cake.

• Don’t over blend: The batter may end up overly dense and won’t rise as it should. Blend just enough to process veggies, fruit and oats so you do not eat large chunks of them in the cake.
• Don’t use oat flour: It’s way more fine than ground up oats for 30 seconds, your cake will be very gummy.
• Let it rest: The cake will continue to set as it rests and flavors will have a chance to meld for a richer taste. You will also be able to slice and serve it more easily.
• Baking dish choice: Any flat baking dish like a round pie dish or square 8 x 8 baking dish will work. Don’t use a loaf pan though, the cake won’t bake through.

Variations

This apple oatmeal cake is very versatile with options to swap ingredients or add in some new ones, here are a few ideas:

• Other vegetables: Instead of sweet potato use zucchini, butternut squash, pumpkin or carrots. Just be sure to measure 1 1/4 cups cubed veggies and not pureed.
• Warm spices: Take the natural warmth up a notch by adding a touch of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or pumpkin pie spice.
• Add blueberries: Once blended, stir in up to 1/2 cup of frozen or fresh blueberries. I wouldn’t add any other berries, they will make cake too wet.
• Add chopped apples: Add them into the batter after blending, don’t blend. You can also sprinkle them on top. This is in addition to the cubed apples required for the batter.
• Citrus flavor: Include the zest and 1 tablespoon of juice. In my opinion, either orange or lemon would best complement the other flavors.
• Make it sweeter: Add 1/3 cup maple syrup, especially with more plain veggies like zucchini. It was quite sweet with sweet potato though.
• Drizzle on top: Finish it off with peanut butter, honey, maple syrup, tahini, yogurt, cream cheese, citrus glaze, or vanilla glaze.
• Dried fruit: Mix raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped dates into the batter before baking.
• Almond extract: Switch out the vanilla for almond extract for a nutty flavor.
• Chocolate: Sprinkle in some dark chocolate chips for a touch of indulgence.

How to Store and Reheat

Store: Once cake has cooled down, wrap the pie dish with some plastic wrap and pop it into the refrigerator. This way, it stays fresh and delicious for up to 3-4 days.

Reheat: Breakfast cake tastes best warmed up. When you’re ready for another slice, just give it a quick zap in the microwave until warm.

Freeze: Save a few slices for later by tucking them into an airtight container and freezing for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight or on the countertop, and then reheat. It’ll taste oven fresh.

FAQs

More Healthy Breakfast Recipes to Try

• Whole orange blender cake
• Carrot cake baked oatmeal
• Carrot cake baked oatmeal bars
• Healthy banana oatmeal bars
• Quinoa breakfast bake