Blueberry Baked Oatmeal Recipe Notes
​Baked oatmeal is one of my favourite make-ahead breakfasts during the colder months. It takes me just 10–15 minutes to get it into the oven, and then I have cozy, nourishing breakfasts ready for the entire work week. If you’re feeding a family, you could easily double the recipe and bake it in a larger pan — though I haven’t tested that yet.
What I love most about this recipe is how simple and wholesome the ingredients are. It’s naturally sweetened with dates, and I’ve been using blueberries lately as my fruit of choice. That said, don’t be afraid to experiment — chopped apples, pears, raspberries, or even peaches in the summer would all be lovely.
The oatmeal itself isn’t overly sweet, which is how I like it — especially since I tend to pour a generous amount of maple syrup over the top when I serve it. I want the oatmeal piping hot, and the maple syrup warm, too — that part is essential, in my opinion. I usually spoon some plain unsweetened vegan yogurt alongside (never fridge cold), and scatter over some toasted chopped almonds for crunch.
It’s comforting, filling, and endlessly adaptable. I hope you love it as much as I do.

Cooling/Reheating

• If you want your baked oatmeal to hold it's shape in square or rectangle slices, you need to cool it completely and refrigerate before slicing and reheating. If that isn't important to you feel free to eat it right from the oven. 
• To reheat, I simply slice a portion and pop it in the microwave for about a minute and 30 seconds. I've been eating it lately with warm maple syrup, plain unsweetened probiotic vegan yogurt, toasted almonds, and sometimes peaches that I canned myself when they were in season. 

Storing Baked Oatmeal

• I simply store my cooled baked oatmeal in the pan that I baked it in with some saran wrap over top. It's a small 8 X 8 inch pan so that works for me. I would eat this within 5 days tops, and I wouldn't freeze it. It's so easy to whip up and get into the oven there's really no need to freeze it in my mind anyway. ​

Other Serving Options

• If you have any homemade blueberry preserves, a dollop of that on the plate with the yogurt would be delicious.
• Use any nuts you like best, if I wasn't using almonds, pecans would be my second choice. 
• Instead of lemon zest in the batter, try orange zest...but the lemon IS lovely. 
• I wouldn't hesitate to enjoy this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and maple syrup. Or how about coco whip. If not for breakfast, an afternoon treat with tea. 

Moist Chocolate Zucchini Cake (with Tahini!) – A Late Summer Favorite
This chocolate zucchini cake is a recipe I return to every late summer and early fall—right when garden zucchini is suddenly overflowing. If you're a gardener, you know exactly what I mean: one moment you're harvesting a few tender squash, and the next your kitchen is bursting with more zucchini than you know what to do with.

This cake is rich, moist, and deeply chocolatey--everything a chocolate cake should be, with a bonus boost from the shredded zucchini. It’s a perfect way to use up garden produce in a crowd-pleasing dessert. And trust me, even zucchini skeptics won't notice it’s in there.

A Healthier Twist with Tahini
In this recipe, I use a little tahini in the batter. I love replacing some of the butter with heart-healthier fats, especially in baking. Tahini adds subtle depth and richness without overpowering the chocolate flavor. That said, if you have sesame allergies or just prefer to keep things classic, you can absolutely use 100% butter instead.

Cake Pan Options
I typically bake this in a 13x8-inch metal cake pan, but it’s a flexible recipe:

• Divide between two round pans for a layer cake
• Pour into muffin tins for chocolate zucchini cupcakes
• Bake in a loaf pan for a more rustic slice-and-serve dessert

Frosting Ideas
Frosting is where you can really make it your own. I’m a peanut butter fanatic, so I often top mine with a creamy peanut butter frosting. My runner-up would be a silky chocolate buttercream, and if you're a fellow chocolate-mint lover like me, try adding a touch of mint extract to the chocolate version—it’s amazing.

Perfect for late summer baking, potlucks, or anytime you’ve got too much zucchini on your hands, this chocolate zucchini cake is one you’ll come back to again and again.

Choosing a Vegan Butter for Baking
There are many brands of vegan butter on the market, and in my experience, most of them work perfectly fine in this recipe. I often reach for Earth Balance, simply because it’s what’s available at my local store. That said, I’ve started noticing more grocery store brands offering their own plant-based butter alternatives—like President’s Choice plant-based butter—and they’re often much more affordable. I’m definitely curious to try more of those in my baking.

Tip:
Plant-based products are often scattered throughout the grocery store. For example, Earth Balance tends to be stocked in the natural or organic section where I shop, while the President’s Choice version is shelved right next to the regular dairy butter. So if you don’t see what you’re looking for right away, check both areas!
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Whether you’re baking dairy-free by choice or necessity, any of these vegan butter options should yield a delicious, moist chocolate zucchini cake.

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Steps for Making Chocolate Zucchini Cake

The best thing about this cake - You can make it in one bowl.

1. Mix the wet ingredients together. 
2. Stir in zucchini
3. Sift together dry Ingredients
4. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir just to combine.
5. Pour into prepared baking pan. 
6. Bake 55 minutes or until firm to the touch. 

Once the cake has cooled - top with your desired frosting. My recipe is for peanut butter frosting - but I think a chocolate frosting would be epic. 

Chocolate Zucchini Cake FAQ

Can I make this without tahini?
Yes. Just substitute more melted butter for the tahini.

Can this cake be made gluten free?
Yes. I tested this cake with a 1-1 gluten free flour blend and I liked it. Bobs Red Mill 1-1 gluten free flour blend is my go to. You want to make sure you use a blend that includes xanathan gum. If you buy gluten free flour that doesn't contain it - you'd have to also buy xanathan gum and add some to the mix. I think the package should say how much to add. 

For some reason I'm tempted to try the gluten free version again without the tahini and just butter. Will update if I ever get to it!

Can I freeze this cake?
Yes. I often keep cakes that are already frosted in the freezer. I like to cut it into desired portions ahead of time. Then keep it in a food storage container that is tall enough to not squish the frosting.

Do I have to use flax eggs?
While I haven't tested this recipe using another egg alternative - I think you could use other plant based egg substitutes intended for baking if you don't have flax or can't consume it for whatever reason. If you aren't vegan I'm sure simply using real eggs would be just fine, too.