Healthy Zucchini Oatmeal Snack Cake

Yields: 1 snack cake, 16 squares

This just might be my all-time favorite snack! This healthy snack cake is full of zucchini and cozy spices, and its supremely moist texture makes it even more irresistible. It’s perfect for breakfast or a not-too-sweet dessert as well! Leftovers will keep for at least one week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and they freeze well, too!

1 ½ cups (150g) Bob’s Red Mill Quick Cooking Oats (gluten-free if needed and measured like this)
1 ¼ cups (150g) Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Flour or Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour (measured like this)
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
2 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
½ tbsp (7g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large egg whites, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup (180g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
6 tbsp (90mL) pure maple syrup
½ cup (120mL) nonfat milk
2 cups (180g) freshly grated zucchini (see Notes!)

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat a 9”-square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, egg whites, and vanilla. Add in Greek yogurt, stirring until no large lumps of yogurt remain. Stir in the maple syrup. Alternate between adding the oat mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the oat mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the oat mixture in 3 equal parts.) Gently stir in the zucchini.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350°F for 28-32 minutes or until the center feels firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely to room temperature in the pan before slicing and serving.

Notes: Quick cooking oats are also known as instant or one-minute oats. If you only have old-fashioned rolled oats, add the same amount of old-fashioned oats to a food processor, and pulse 10-12 times or until the oats are about ¼ to ⅛ of their original size.

White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the whole wheat flour.

It’s extremely important to measure the flour and oats correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much of either will dry out your snack cake and give it a crumbly texture—especially the oats! They act like little sponges and soak up moisture from your cake batter.

Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.

Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.

Measure the zucchini before patting it dry. You must pat it dry to remove the excess moisture because that excess moisture will prevent the snack cake from fully baking and cause the snack cake to collapse while cooling. To pat the zucchini dry, lay a double-thick layer of paper towels onto a cutting board, and arrange the freshly shredded zucchini on top. Place another double-thick layer of paper towels on the zucchini, and firmly press down until the top towel turns completely wet.

For a sweeter flavor, increase the maple syrup by an additional 2 tablespoons (½ cup total), and decrease the milk by 2 tablespoons (6 tablespoons instead).

{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat}

Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2018/05/13/healthy-zucchini-oatmeal-snack-cake/