Description
Wake up and eat cake — the healthy kind. This small, cinnamon-ribboned protein cake gives you a sweet, structured bite that’s perfect for breakfast or a quick snack. It’s fast, portable, and packs protein without a sugar crash.
Ingredients
Scale
Batter
- ½ cup rolled oats (~45 g)
- 2 egg whites (~60 g total)
- ⅔ cup water (≈160 ml)
- 2 scoops vanilla protein powder (~2 oz / ~57 g)
- 1 teaspoon powdered Stevia (or your preferred sweetener)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (~4–5 g)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (~8 g) — for the swirl
Instructions
- Heat the oven. Preheat to 390°F (200°C). Lightly grease a small nonstick pan (roughly 4–4.5 inches / 10–11 cm across).
- Make the batter. Combine the oats, egg whites, water, vanilla protein powder, Stevia, and baking powder in a blender or food processor. Blend until the mixture is smooth and has the thickness of a hearty pancake batter.
- Layer and swirl. Pour about half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the tablespoon of cinnamon evenly over that layer. Dollop the remaining batter on top, then drag a knife through the batter a few times to create a cinnamon swirl — don’t over-mix; you want visible ribbons.
- Bake. Place in the oven and bake approximately 12 minutes, until the top springs back slightly and a toothpick near the center comes out mostly clean.
- Rest and serve. Let the cake cool a couple of minutes in the pan, then slice and enjoy warm or room temperature.
Notes
- Notes & tips
- Pan size matters. This recipe is designed for a small pan. Scaling it up to a single large loaf without adjusting baking time will likely leave the center undercooked.
- Protein powder choice matters. Use a vanilla-flavored powder that bakes well; some powders turn gritty. If your first try is chalky, swap brands. This is the single biggest variable for success.
- Texture tweak: Replace part of the water with milk (dairy or unsweetened plant milk) for a slightly richer crumb.
- Sweeteners: Stevia works great for low-carb; feel free to use erythritol, monk fruit, or regular sugar if you don’t mind the carbs.
- Storage & reheating
- Fridge: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
- Reheat: Microwave a slice for ~30 seconds to warm.
- Freezing: Not recommended — reheated texture tends to get soggy.
- Quick troubleshooting
- Cake too dry? Try swapping some water for milk or reduce blending time to keep a bit more texture.
- Cake too gummy? Your protein powder might be the culprit — try a different brand or reduce liquid slightly next time.
- No visible swirl? Swirl gently with a knife and stop; overmixing blends the cinnamon into the batter.
Nutrition
- Calories: 217
- Sugar: 1.1 g
- Sodium: 145.9 mg
- Fat: 1.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 17.9 g
- Fiber: 4.2 g
- Protein: 31.5 g
- Cholesterol: 12.5 mg