Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert this recipe for granola topped Vegan Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cake is delicious with hints of citrus and almond in every bite!
This cake recipe was inspired by a craving for something different. A cake that could be eaten for breakfast, but also perfect for an after dinner dessert. I wanted it to have the vibes of morning with oats, almonds, and citrus.
So I put on my recipe developing apron and went to work. I tried a few different versions before coming up with the perfect combination of flours and flavors. My goal was to put my favorite breakfast ingredients all in one cake!
I used almond flour and oats to add more depth in flavor to the cake giving it that breakfast vibe. The oats and almonds were also used to make a delicious granola topping. Fresh orange juice was added to bring brightness to the cake. And no oatmeal recipe would be complete for me without cranberries!
The end result turned out to be the perfect moist delicious cake with a yummy crunchy browned granola topping!
Ingredients Needed
This recipe for vegan cranberry orange oatmeal cake is made using a list of basic easy to find ingredients that you can pick up at any market.
- Whole Oats- Quick oats will not work as well, so make sure to use whole oats.
- Almond Flour- Make sure to use almond flour and not almond meal.
- All-Purpose Flour- I have not tried to use gluten-free flour with this recipe.
- Cornstarch- Helps to bind the cake together as well as create a more tender texture.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder- Both are used to get the best rise.
- Ground Flaxseed Meal- Acts as an egg replacement in this recipe.
- Brown Sugar- I recommend brown sugar, but coconut sugar can also be used.
- Fresh Oranges- Use fresh orange juice for the best flavor.
- Maple Syrup- Agave can also be used.
- Sliced Almonds- I used raw sliced almonds. They will get toasted as the cake cooks.
- Dried Cranberries- Orange flavored cranberries are yummy too in this cake.
- Salt- I used fine kosher salt because it dissolves the best.
- Oil- Use a neutral flavored oil like sunflower or canola.
- White Vinegar- The acidic nature of the vinegar works together with the baking soda to give the cake rise.
How to Make Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cake
To make this cake, you just need one bowl and about an hour! The steps are easy and you'll have a ready to eat cake in no time.
Once you preheat your oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit and get your cake pan ready, you will start by getting your oats prepped. To do this, you mix together the whole oats, orange juice, orange zest, and maple syrup in a large bowl.
Next, you combine together all of the granola cake topping ingredients in a small bowl. Then set them aside for later.
Then into a different bowl, you sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and then whisk together. Add the almond flour and dried cranberries. Then mix together again.
Now, you add the brown sugar, ground flaxseed, oil, vinegar, and vanilla to the oat mixture and stir well. Then fold the flour mixture into the wet oat mixture and combine well, but do not overmix the batter.
Finally, you pour the cake batter into prepared cake pan and top with the granola topping. Then you will bake the cake at 375 degrees fahrenheit for 50-55 minutes until golden brown. A cake tester or toothpick should come out clean when the cake is done. To finish, let the cake cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes before removing from the pan.
And done! Now you have an amazing cake ready for breakfast, brunch, and dessert!
Tips For Success
- Weigh Dry Ingredients: Digital scales are cheap and make all the difference. It's not a deal breaker for this recipe if you don't have a scale, but you will get the best results by weighing your dry ingredients. Why!?! Because everyone stuffs flour into measuring cups in different ways. A standard cup of flour is supposed to weigh 120 to 125 grams, but if you pack it in a cup of flour can weigh up to 155 grams. That is big difference! You don't want to end up with a dry cake. However, not all is lost. If you don't have a digital scale check out this video on how to measure flour.
- Parchment Paper: Line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper to ensure that your cake doesn't stick and potentially fall apart when removing it from the pan. Using parchment paper also helps the cake to bake more evenly.
- Rising Agents: Make sure to use the correct amounts and the follow the recipe exactly as stated when it comes to the baking soda, baking powder, and white vinegar. The combination of these ingredients in the amounts given are key in the success of this cake. The chemical reactions of these ingredients working together give the cake its perfect rise and texture.
- Fresh Oranges: Use fresh oranges to make the best tasting cake possible. In this recipe using both the juice of fresh oranges and the orange zest will give you the best overall flavor. Store bought orange juice will work and still makes a yummy cake, but it's just not quite the same.
How to Store Cake
The best way to store this cake is to cover it and store it at room temperature for 2-3 days. If you are storing the cake for longer than 3 days you should put it in the fridge on the third day to keep for up to a week. The cake can also stored in the freezer for up to 3 months in a sealed freezer bag or wrapped well in plastic wrap.
People love this Vegan Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cake recipe because it's...
- Moist and delicious
- Full of hints of fresh orange
- Yummy with bites of tart cranberries
- Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert
- Easy to make and takes just one bowl
I hope you enjoy this cake recipe too! I take it to potluck brunches all the time where it disappears in a matter of minutes. People just love the granola topping!
In fact, most people love anything granola! If you do too then check out my recipe for Vanilla Cranberry Coconut Granola with Almonds for more granola yumminess and another breakfast option.
If you try this recipe please let me know how it turns out by leaving a comment and rating. You can also hashtag #danceswithknives with a photo of your creation on Instagram where you can find me @dances_with_knives.
More Vegan Baked Good Recipes
- Vegan Blueberry Muffins
- Apple Cinnamon Bread
- Easy Vegan Double Chocolate Muffins
- The Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Vegan Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole oats (90 grams)
- 1 cup fresh orange juice (room temperature)
- Zest 1 orange (optional- but recommended)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour (208 grams)
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅔ cup almond flour (75 grams)
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup brown sugar (108 grams)
- 2 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal
- ½ cup canola oil (any neutral oil )
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Granola Topping
- ⅓ cup raw sliced almonds
- ⅓ cup whole oats (30 grams)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon canola oil (any neutral oil)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven the to 375°F. Then prepare a 8" round cake pan by greasing, dusting with flour, and lining with parchment paper. The parchment paper will keep the cake from sticking to the bottom and help with even baking.
- In a large bowl, mix together the whole oats, room temperature orange juice, orange zest, and maple syrup. Then set aside for later. You want to do this first so that the oats have plenty of time to soften up in the liquid mixture.
- Combine all the ingredients of the granola topping, mix well, and set aside.
- In a different medium size bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then add the almond flour and whisk all the dry ingredients together. Finally, toss in the dried cranberries and mix again.
- Add the brown sugar, ground flaxseed meal, oil, white vinegar, and vanilla to the oat mixture. Then mix well to combine.
- Now, add the flour mixture to the wet oat mixture and fold together being careful not to overmix, but still making sure to incorporate well.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Then sprinkle the top of the cake with the granola mixture making sure to spread it out evenly.
- Bake at 375°F for 50 to 55 minutes until golden brown. A cake tester or toothpick should come out clean when done. Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes before removing from the pan.
- Store the cake covered at room temperature for 2-3 days. If you are storing the cake for longer than 3 days put it in the fridge on the third day to keep for up to a week. The cake can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months in a sealed freezer bag or wrapped well in plastic wrap.
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