Pumpkin Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
Nathan has been determined to get this Pumpkin Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal just right, and months it has been. As you can guess, he has and it has the perfect blend of pumpkin and your favorite Carrot Cake, all wrapped snuggly in rolled oats. It tastes like the best warm hug from one of my kiddos on an Autumn day. Make this the night before and pop it in the oven while you get ready for the day. By the time you, and maybe the rest of your clan, make it to the kitchen, breakfast will be ready!
The Basics
From Prep to Completion 60 min
Temperature 360F for 30 minutes
Servings 12
WhenIt Is Done Edges will be nice and brown and the center will be firm, not jiggly.
Pair With
Variations Omit the carrots and replace with apples, or blueberries
Equipment 9in x 13in pan
A Little Bit About: Pumpkin Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
Baked oatmeal is cozy, comfy and nostalgic. If you love it, its probably because it was a common meal served in your childhood that you now enjoy to bake. Varieties are many, so depending on the season, we took this recipe and settled on pumpkins, carrots, raisins and a variety of spices.
Quick and easy is another reason why baked oatmeals are such a staple. Effortless to bring to a potluck, practically a one bowl prep, can be made ahead of time and stores and reheats easily after baking. Yes, please! I need meals like this in my weekly repertoire.
By now you know that we are going to encourage you to make this your own. Use what you have on hand and substitute where you can. Make it a few times and slowly your family will thank you for it. Nourishment and creativity is what its all about!
A warm hug from Autumn...thats what this Pumpkin Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal feels like in every bite.
Teaching Moment
Picking the Pumpkin
Is there is a difference between carving and cooking pumpkins? Can I use any of them for cooking? Yes and yes...BUT, there is a but. Not all pumpkins are made equal, of course.
Reach for a Sugar (Pie) pumpkin next time you want to bake a pumpkin based dessert. These pumpkins have a much denser flesh and are much less stringy than its cousin, the Classic Orange (Connecticut Field variety). Their name also implies it...they are sweeter. Though you can use your porch pumpkins for dessert, I'd prefer to point you to a greater success by using the variety of pumpkin that is made for all things baking.
Pumpkin Puree
Baking a Sugar (Pie) Pumpkin - Preheat your oven to 400F. Cut your pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. You can keep the seeds and make your own seasoned snacking seeds (try Downshiftology's recipe - I haven't personally made this recipe but there hasn't been a recipe I've made from her blog that I didn't love).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place flesh side down, bake for about 40 minutes. You will know they are done when there is no resistance when pierced and the skin easily sinks in (see pic). Let them cool for a bit and then scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Toss the skins (or compost) and then use a fork, or food processor, to mash the flesh into a puree consistency.
Storing- We will freeze them in 1 cup measurements and then just take out a portion the day of a defrost for 30 minutes in room temperature water.. It will also keep in your fridge for about 3-5 days.
Baby food- Freeze the portion size for your baby and then defrost as needed. Once defrosted you can blend in spinach and apples OR go savory with a little bit of curry powder and coconut oil.
Making the Time
Fall is upon us and it has brought with it a reminder for me to slow down. The weather is shifting and our lives must stop to pause and either reflect on the past year or the ways we would like to enjoy the remainder of the year. These questions reflect this change in season and I hope that as you talk about traditions you'd love to start, that you welcome them joyfully and not in a place of regret for not having done so already. Embrace the season you are in and don't rush it away, it has its purpose.
Mise en Place:
Read the recipe first | Lay out your ingredients | Prepare your tools | Start cooking
Pumpkin Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
Pumpkin Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
servings: 12 time: 60min difficulty: Easy
Warm, nostalgic and simple. Enjoy the ease of putting this one together and don't forget to look out the window every once in a while...its Autumn and its beautiful.
1 egg
14oz can of Coconut Milk (lite)
1 tsp of vanilla extract or paste
1 cup of pumpkin puree
1/4 cup of light brown sugar
scant tspof salt
1 tspof cinnamon
1/2 tsp of ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp of ground clove
1 tspof baking powder
3/4 cup of raisins
1/2 cup of walnuts, broken in pieces
1 1/2 cup of shredded carrot
2 1/2 cup of rolled oats
Creme Fraiche, topping
[/recipe-ingredients]
[recipe-directions]
Preheat oven to 360F. Butter a 9in x 13in pan, set aside.
In one bowl combine wet ingredients; egg (whisk it now), coconut milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and brown sugar. Whisk to combine.
Continue to add ingredients and lightly mix with a spatula. Salt, spices, baking powder, raisins, walnuts, shredded carrot, and finish off by mixing in rolled oats.
Pour into your baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes. Cut into 12 equal pieces.
Drizzle creme fraiche atop and serve. You could also add a couple apple slices for a fresh bite afterwards.
What to Consider
Making this the day you prepare it will give it a more 'cake' like texture, and if you leave it over night in the fridge, you will get more of a 'bread pudding' texture. We prefer to make it the night before!
This is a great recipe to make for Thanksgiving breakfast because it is so easy, warms the house up and feeds a good amount of people. Make it the night before and enjoy generously!
You can replace the sugar in this recipe with just about any substitute, dark brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, and so on. I would still use a 1:1 replacement ratio.