Morning glory breakfast cake for the new year

Happy New Year! I hope 2013 is a wonderful year for everyone. 

To start the new year off on a healthy note, I bring you this veggie and fruit-packed wholesome breakfast cake. For those of you who may be familiar with Morning Glory muffins, this is the cake version of that hippie health food favorite. 

Despite the health food origins, the cake is surprisingly light and flavorful and tasty. The cake itself is lightly sweetened and the fruit add just a touch more natural sweetness. It definitely is a breakfast or snack you can feel good about!

Morning Glory Breakfast Cake (adapted from Coffee Cakes: Simple, Sweet, and Savory)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

2 large eggs

2/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 & 1/2 cups low-fat plain yogurt or buttermilk (I used nonfat Greek yogurt)

3 tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup wheat bran

2 large carrots, peeled and shredded (about 2 & 1/2 cups)

1 large tart apple, peeled, cored, and shredded (about 1 & 1/4 cups)

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1/2 cup dried cherries, cranberries, or raisins

1 tablespoon granulated sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for topping (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment (or grease and flour it).

Toast the oats and nuts on a baking sheet for 8-10 minutes. Let cool and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flours, salt, baking soda). Add the bran and oats and nuts and mix to combine. In another bowl, mix together the other add-ins (shredded carrot and apple, blueberries, dried fruit, and coconut).

With a mixer, beat together the eggs and brown sugar until light and frothy. Beat in the buttermilk or yogurt, molasses, and vanilla. Add in the flour mixture and mix until mostly combined. Pour in all the rest of the add-ins and fold until just mixed evenly. Spread batter evenly in the pan, and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top, if desired. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees or until a cake tester comes out clean in the center of the cake. If not done, continue baking and test again at 5 minute intervals. Let cake cool in the pan on a wire rack. Once cool, cut and serve or wrap individual servings in plastic wrap and freeze in an airtight bag/container.