Healthy Vegan Peanut Butter Oat Cake
This healthy vegan peanut butter oat cake is absolutely as delicious as it sounds. And did you notice how moist it looks? Moreover, it contains some of the most healthy ingredients; and doesn’t take long to make at all.
*I’ve included an easy and delicious peanut butter and chocolate glaze for this cake in the recipe notes below*
Before I forget, let me inform you about a couple of other easy cake recipes here on the blog. The first one is this yummy vegan chocolate peanut butter cake recipe. The second one is this super easy to make and delicious lemon snack cake.
No Hand Mixer Needed Here
I really don’t like using a hand mixer often, to be completely honest. It’s just more quicker to make a recipe (cake, cookie, etc.) without it. And there’s less to clean-up afterwards.
Now, that’s not to say that I never use a hand mixer. For certain recipes (such as frosting), you absolutely need one to whip all the ingredients together very quickly.
Super Easy to Make Recipe..
Basically all you need to make this healthy vegan peanut butter oat cake is a large mixing bowl, a measuring cup/measuring spoons; and you’re good to go! Oh, and of course you need something to stir it all with. I usually use a fork to stir the dry ingredients first.
After adding in the wet ingredients, I use the same fork to combine everything together. Finally, I use a large spoon to stir the batter all the way to the bottom of the bowl (gently). This helps to ensure that all of the flour is thoroughly stirred into the batter.
*I was inspired by Amy from Amy’s Healthy Baking to use a fork to stir most of my recipe batters – be it cake or cookie batter, etc. It sure beats getting out a hand mixer (just my personal opinion)*
Vegan vs Non-Vegan
If you didn’t know already, I love creating vegan recipes, even though I still eat dairy and meat on occasion. You can eat healthy being vegan and non-vegan. I would label myself as being *half-vegan*.
As with this healthy vegan peanut butter oat cake recipe. It calls for you to use dairy-free milk predominately (since it’s a vegan recipe). But even a non-vegan person can make this cake by just using just regular milk instead.
Before I started using only almond milk in my recipes and daily eating, I would use 1% dairy milk. Actually, I started out using 2% milk, then I found out that 1% milk was even healthier; so I transitioned to that. I’m not against using regular *dairy* milk even now.
I just prefer almond milk because it’s more healthier than dairy milk overall. And you can use it in place of dairy milk, with only a barely detectable difference in taste.
Lack of Certain Nutrients
Now, most fully vegan people are totally against eating meat or any dairy products at all. On the other hand, I’ve read plenty of stories about vegans who left the vegan lifestyle, and turned to eating meat/dairy again.
They found out that their body required certain nutrients that only meat can give, such as protein and iron. These two nutrients help to provide much needed energy to the body.
Therefore, many former vegans have now embraced eating meat again. Just goes to show that it’s not good to judge someone’s eating habits without knowing the history behind it.
Vegan Peanut Butter Oat Cake Ingredients:
I’m sure you already have most of the simple ingredients needed to make this healthy vegan peanut butter oat cake:
- Oat Flour: If you’re not sure what oat flour is – it’s just oats blended into flour. I prefer to buy my oat flour because it’s easier for me at this time. It’s sold in most grocery stores nowadays.
- All-Purpose Flour: I didn’t want to use just oat flour in this cake. I combined the oat flour with regular all-purpose flour to ensure a light fluffy texture. By only using oat flour – the texture of the cake would be more dense and not as light.
- Salt
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Coconut Sugar: The caramel flavor of this sugar is perfect in this cake. You can try using regular sugar, but I don’t know how the flavor would be. Let me know how it turns out for you if use regular sugar..
- Creamy Peanut Butter
- Unsweetened Applesauce: Did you know that you can substitute applesauce (unsweetened) for oil and butter in many cake recipes? It changes the texture the more you use though. I would only replace up to half the amount of butter/oil with applesauce.
- Vanilla Extract
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Aids the baking powder and baking soda in helping the cake to rise and be fluffy.
- Milk: Dairy-free or regular milk can be used.
- Cinnamon: The cinnamon adds a subtle complementary cinnamon flavor to the cake.
Even More Homemade Dessert Recipes For You to Try
If you’ve tried out this healthy vegan peanut butter oat cake recipe, I hope you enjoyed every bite! I would also appreciate any feedback or comments on it. Thank you.
Healthy Vegan Peanut Butter Oat Cake
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup oat flour
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup and 3 1/2 tbsp coconut sugar (or regular sugar should work)
- 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups and 3 tbsp dairy-free or regular milk
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional but highly recommended)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine all of the dry ingredients (flours-sugar, and optional cinnamon).
- In small bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients very well (peanut butter-milk). Add to the dry ingredients, and combine everything together until just a few smallish lumps remain. (If the batter is a bit too thick, add an extra tbsp or so more of milk)
- Add batter to greased 8 inch square baking pan. Bake for 34-35 minutes (test to make sure). Let cool before adding the glaze.
- *Peanut butter and chocolate glaze:1) To make this glaze, add 1 tbsp creamy peanut butter and 1/2 tbsp dairy free or regular chocolate chips to a small microwaveable bowl. 2)Microwave on high for about 20 seconds or more until melted. Stir, then add in 1/2 cup powdered sugar + 4-5 tsp milk (dairy-free or dairy). Stir quickly with a fork until mixture is completely smooth. (If you want the consistency of the glaze to be less thick, just add a bit more milk until it’s your desired consistency)3) Spread over the cooled cake with a knife. Top with a few dairy-free or regular chocolate chips if desired.Let the glaze sit for about 10 minutes or so, for it to set before serving* Enjoy!