Start your day with this carrot cake baked oatmeal, a soft, cozy, cake-like breakfast made with wholesome ingredients that keeps you satisfied for hours.
For more baked oatmeal recipes, try our blueberry baked oatmeal, baked apple oatmeal, and peanut butter banana baked oatmeal.
Why you’ll love this carrot cake baked oatmeal!
This carrot cake baked oatmeal is one of those recipes Louise and I keep coming back to. It’s soft, moist, and gently sweet, with a flavor that feels like cake but made with simple, wholesome ingredients 🥕
It’s the kind of healthy carrot cake baked oats you can enjoy any time of day. Breakfast, afternoon snack, or even after a workout. It’s fiber-rich, naturally sweetened, and satisfying without feeling heavy.
What we love most is the texture. It’s soft and a little gooey in the center, with warm spices and tender carrots in every bite. It truly feels like dessert, just simpler and more balanced 🍰
For a more dessert-like touch, serve it with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup. It also works great for meal prep. Bake once, slice, and enjoy for days ❤️
For more carrot cake breakfast ideas, check out our carrot cake overnight oats, Greek yogurt carrot cake, and oil-free carrot cake muffins.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Ripe bananas: add natural sweetness and moisture. Best not to substitute here. You can use applesauce, but the baked oats will be less sweet and softer.
- Rolled oats: the base of this carrot oatmeal bake, giving structure and a soft bite. Use quick oats for a smoother texture.
- Carrots: finely grated for that classic carrot cake flavor and tenderness. You can swap with zucchini (squeezed dry).
- Greek yogurt: adds creaminess and makes these baked oats with yogurt more satisfying. Use low-fat Greek yogurt or Skyr for extra protein, or a dairy-free yogurt if needed.
- Milk: helps soften the oats. Any milk works, including almond, oat, or soy milk.
- Honey or maple syrup: for gentle sweetness.
- Egg: helps the carrot cake breakfast bake set. Substitute with a flax egg by mixing 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 2½ tablespoons water, stir, and let it sit for 5 minutes until thick.
- Walnuts: add crunch and richness. Swap with pecans, almonds, or skip if needed.
- Raisins: optional but classic. Try chopped dates or skip for a less sweet version.
- Baking powder: helps it rise slightly. No good substitute here.
- Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg: warm spices for that cozy carrot cake feel. Adjust to taste.
- Vanilla extract: rounds out the flavor. Optional but recommended.
- Salt: a small pinch to balance the sweetness.
How to Make Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
1. Make the wet base
Preheat the oven to 375°F or 190°C.
Grease your baking dish with a little oil or cooking spray.
Add the ripe bananas to a large bowl and mash them well with a fork.
Add Greek yogurt, milk, honey, egg, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the carrots and oats
Stir in the finely grated carrots.
Add the rolled oats, raisins, walnuts, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
Stir well until everything is evenly mixed.
The mixture will look soft and creamy. That’s what gives this banana carrot baked oats recipe its moist, cake-like texture.
3. Fill the baking dish
Pour the mixture into your prepared baking dish.
Spread it out with a spoon so it bakes evenly.
Top with a few extra walnuts and raisins if you like.
4. Bake and let it set
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the center feels set but still soft.
Let it rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
This step is important. It helps the oats firm up, so your carrot cake oatmeal bake slices cleanly but stays soft and gooey inside.
Tips
- Grate the carrots finely: this helps them melt into the oats and keeps the texture soft, not stringy.
- Use very ripe bananas: the darker, the better. They add sweetness and moisture without extra sugar.
- Don’t skip the cooling time: let it sit after baking so it firms up and slices cleanly.
- Adjust sweetness to your taste: use more honey or maple syrup for a dessert feel, less for everyday breakfast.
- Check the center, not just the edges: it should feel set but still soft, not wet.
- Make it your own: swap raisins for dates, or skip them if you prefer less sweetness.
- Great for meal prep: slice and store in the fridge, then warm 15 seconds in the microwave before serving.
- Serve it warm: it brings out the soft, cake-like texture and cozy spices.
- If you are cooking for mixed diets: use dairy-free yogurt and milk, and a flax egg to make it fully dairy-free and egg-free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. It’s perfect for meal prep. Bake it, let it cool, then store it in the fridge and reheat portions as needed.
Yes. Quick oats work well and give a softer, more uniform texture.
The edges should be lightly golden, and the center should feel set but still soft, not wet.
Yes. Use a flax egg. It helps the baked oats hold together well.
Let it cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze slices for longer storage.
Absolutely. It still works well without them, or you can swap with other add-ins you enjoy.
More Easy Make Ahead Breakfasts
- Baked oatmeal cups with Greek yogurt
- Healthy breakfast cookies
- Banana baked oatmeal
- Blueberry baked oatmeal cups
- Peanut butter energy balls
- Banana overnight oats with Greek yogurt
- Banana bread energy balls
- No bake oat bars
For even more ideas, browse our make-ahead breakfast round up.
If you try this Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal Recipe please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal (Easy Breakfast That Tastes Like Cake)
Equipment
- Use an 8 x 8 inch, 9 x 9 inch, or similar baking dish
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas about 1 heaping cup mashed (240 g)
- 1½ cups rolled oats
- 1½ cups carrots finely grated
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- ½ cup milk any
- ¼ cup honey up to ⅓ cup for sweeter taste
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup walnuts chopped
- ¼ cup raisins optional
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract + 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Mix the wet ingredients: Preheat your oven to 375°F or 190°C. Grease a 8 x 8 inch or similar baking dish.In a large bowl, mash 2 ripe bananas well. Add 1 cup Greek yogurt, ½ cup milk, ¼ cup honey, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients: Stir in 1½ cups carrots (finely grated). Add 1½ cups rolled oats, ¼ cup raisins, ½ cup walnuts , 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Mix well until everything is combined.
- Assemble: Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Spread it out evenly with a spoon. Sprinkle more walnuts or raisins on top if you like.
- Bake and rest: Bake at 375°F or 190°C for about 40 minutes. The center should feel set but still soft. Let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing so it holds together nicely.
Notes
- Ripe bananas → ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce, 1 cup mashed pear, or 1 cup mashed sweet potato. These are less sweet, so add about 2 tablespoons more honey to balance the flavor.
- Rolled oats → Quick oats (smoother texture)
- Carrots → Zucchini, squeezed dry
- Greek yogurt → Low-fat Greek yogurt, Skyr, or dairy-free yogurt
- Milk → Almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk
- Honey or maple syrup → Use either one for sweetness
- Egg → Flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 2½ tablespoons water, rest 5 minutes)
- Walnuts → Pecans, almonds, or skip
- Raisins → Chopped dates or skip
- Baking powder → No good substitute
- Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg → Adjust to taste
- Vanilla extract → Optional but recommended
- Salt → Skip only if needed
Nutrition
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Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We're here to share easy, healthy, and delicious recipes 🌿✨.
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Loved it 🙂
I used cashew yogurt and almond milk as well as cranberries instead of raisins just because I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand but it turned out super yummy 🤤 yummy
I made it, as I had 2 overripe bananas.. Having blood sugar issues, I substituted the honey with maple syrup. It came out delicious. Easy to make and great for breakfast. My (Thai )husband enjoyed it as well. The ingredients are easy to find here in Thailand as well. It’s great to have a batch in the fridge on a busy morning.
the texture of this is amazing, but not very carrot-cakey otherwise. i subbed cloves for ginger. i serve it with apricot jam and find it a lot more palatable.
Subs: nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt (comes sweetened w sugar) -no honey, etc. Used 2+ cups finely shredded carrots. Instead of spices as written, I used ‘pumpkin spice.’
Delish, forgiving & flexible recipe!
Hi. Followed the recipe, cooking time and everything, however after cooling for an hour, when I cut into it, still was gooey and looked undercooked. Feels more like porridge. Taste is lovely. Is it really only 1 and a half cup of oats, for the amount of wet ingredients ? Just wondering. Thank you.
Hi! Thanks for the detailed feedback, that’s really helpful. It should definitely be set after cooling, not porridge-like.
A couple of things could have caused this:
It may need a bit longer in your oven (ovens vary a lot—try +5–10 minutes).
Using very juicy carrots or large bananas can add extra moisture.
Letting it cool fully (even longer than 1 hour) helps it firm up more.
The oat-to-liquid ratio is correct, but it’s designed to be soft and moist rather than dry. If you prefer a firmer texture, you can add 2–3 extra tablespoons of oats. Glad you liked the flavor! 😊
Kindest,
Louise
I had the exact same experience. GREAT FLAVOR, but it was falling apart as I tried to serve it. Squeeze the carrots first to remove moisture? I will definitely make again, just cuz porridge or cake, it has a delicious flavor!
I made this as alternative breakfast option for my children. It came out ok, even though I accidentally left it in oven too long! It disappeared very quickly, with second helpings. The feedback was for more carrots, more spice, less banana, and to set an oven timer …..
I would really like to see the approximate amount of banana because bananas come in different sizes and not knowing the amount you are using is very confusing to me I’m a simple cook that follows a recipe as written
Hi Chris, good point, thanks for flagging that.
In this recipe, we use 2 ripe bananas, which equals roughly 1 cup mashed banana. Nico will update the recipe to make that clearer 🙂
Appreciate you taking the time to mention it!
Hello Nicole just to let you know that I thoroughly enjoyed making the Carrot oatmeal cake. Absolutely mouth watering. Thank so much for a wonderful tasting oat Carrot cake. Bless both. EA
That’s so lovely to hear—thank you so much, Ebun 😊 Really glad you enjoyed it. Kindest,
Louise
thank you for the healthy and easy recipes… i have a question: can I use a regular yogurt (4%fat) instead of Greek yogurt?
Thank you in advance
Rasha
Hi Rasha! Yes, you can use regular yogurt – BUT keep in mind it’s a bit thinner than Greek yogurt, so the baked oatmeal may turn out slightly softer. To avoid this, I recommend adding 1-2 additional tablespoons of oats. Let me know how it turns our for you.
Best,
Louise
Vi seguo da molto tempo. Le vostre ricette sono come una canzone dei Beatles, favili vero? E invitanti. Mi hanno aiutato tanto e salvato la situazione più di una volta. Grazie!
Can I make this without banana? 😁
Hi Joanna,
You can, BUT the banana does play an important role here—it adds both sweetness and moisture.
We recommend using ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce, 1 cup mashed pear, or 1 cup mashed sweet potato instead. These are less sweet, so add about 2 tablespoons more honey to balance the flavor.
I hope this helps. Kindest,
Louise