Here’s a moist, hearty oatmeal carrot apricot cake recipe with warm spices and a soft crumb. It works well as a breakfast cake, tea cake, or lightly frosted dessert.
Oatmeal Carrot Apricot Cake
Yield
1 loaf cake or 8-inch round cake (8–10 servings)
Time
- Prep: 20 minutes
- Bake: 40–50 minutes
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger (optional)
Wet Ingredients
- 2 medium carrots, finely grated (about 1 cup packed)
- ¾ cup dried apricots, chopped small
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- ½ cup plain yogurt or sour cream
- ⅓ cup neutral oil or melted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional Add-ins
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts or almonds
- 2 tbsp raisins
- Orange zest from 1 orange
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the oats
Place the rolled oats in a bowl and pour over:
- ½ cup warm water or milk
Let them soak for about 10 minutes.
This softens the oats and gives the cake a tender texture.
2. Prep the pan and oven
- Preheat oven to 175°C / 350°F
- Grease and line:
- one 8-inch cake pan, or
- one loaf pan
3. Mix dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together:
- flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- ginger
Set aside.
4. Mix wet ingredients
In a large bowl:
- whisk eggs and brown sugar until smooth
- add honey
- mix in yogurt
- stir in oil and vanilla
Then fold in:
- soaked oats
- grated carrots
- chopped apricots
- nuts/orange zest if using
5. Combine
Add dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
Fold gently until no dry flour remains.
Do not overmix or the cake may become dense.
The batter should be thick but scoopable.
6. Bake
Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake:
- Loaf pan: 45–50 minutes
- Round pan: 35–42 minutes
The cake is done when:
- top is golden
- center springs back lightly
- toothpick comes out mostly clean
Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
Optional Apricot Glaze
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp apricot jam
- 1 tsp water
- ½ tsp lemon juice
Method
Warm together until smooth and brush over the warm cake.
This gives a glossy finish and extra apricot flavor.
Optional Cream Cheese Frosting
Mix together:
- 100 g cream cheese
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla
Spread once cake is fully cool.
Texture & Flavor Notes
- Oats make it hearty and moist
- Carrots add natural sweetness
- Apricots give chewy fruity bites
- Cinnamon and nutmeg create a warm bakery flavor
Storage
- Room temperature: 2 days (covered)
- Fridge: up to 5 days
- Freezer: up to 2 months
Easy Variations
- Replace apricots with dates or raisins
- Use whole wheat flour for a nuttier cake
- Add shredded coconut
- Make into muffins (18–22 minutes bake time)
For a healthier version, you can reduce the sugar slightly because the carrots and apricots already add sweetness.