A Taste of Fall

A Taste of Fall

I love to bake.  But I don't love what it does to my thighs.  So I don't bake often.  When I do, I really try to make it a nutritious bread, muffin or cake.  What?!  A nutritious cake?  Sure.  It's just a matter of ingredients...and a name perspective.

The weather in Atlanta this weekend was just hinting of Fall and I was reminded of this cake that I never got around to posting.  At the time, I was craving something sweet.  Yet, I wanted to be sure that it also fit into the healthy goals that I have for myself.  You know, eat more vegetables, choose whole foods, watch my sugar, etc.  So was born this Seedy Cranberry Pumpkin Oat Cake.

Made with Pumpkin, high in vitamin A, fiber and deliciousness - oh yea, that's a nutrient in my book - it was something I could feel good about.  Add to that cranberries, also high in anthocyanins, flax seeds for omega-3 fatty acids, pumpkin seeds for protein (and because I like them), and a whole grain base (whole wheat flour and oats) and you've got a cake that's chock full of nutrition! 

And zero guilt.  Even the fat and sugar aren't off limits, since I used olive oil and honey.  Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think.

It's not too sweet and the crumb is really a cross between bread and cake, but I'm going to call it cake.

 Seedy Cranberry Pumpkin Oat Cake

• 1 can pumpkin puree
• 2 whole eggs
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup whole rolled oats, plus more for topping
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped fresh/frozen cranberry
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, plus more for topping
• 2 Tablespoons flax seeds, plus more for topping
• 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon 

Mix together pumpkin through honey in a small bowl.  In a larger bowl, mix flour with oats, baking powder and salt.  Add wet ingredients to the dry and fold until about 1/2 way mixed.  Then add all of the additional ingredients and fold together, being careful not to over-mix.

Pour into a greased 9" square pan (or the pan of your choice), top with toppings, and bake at 350 degrees until done, which for me was about 40 minutes.  The cake will be dense.  If you prefer a sweeter cake, consider substituting fresh blueberries, strawberries or even grapes instead of cranberries - or you could add a bit more honey or some molasses for a richer sweetness.  Enjoy!