Sweet Love Child

At the start of the new year, many of you will vow to cut out sweets from your life, go on diets and jump on the treadmill, desperately trying to drop a few holiday pounds. I get very lonely when that happens :-) Since I have a couple more days before 2013 gets here, I thought I'd share one last recipe in 2012 that's full of buttery, sugary goodness. Can I tempt any of you with Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Coffee Cake? There are oats and raisins in it, so don't feel so guilty. 

My very own photo/blog assistant!

I saw this recipe and had to make it, because I love me a good oatmeal raisin cookie. It's such a simple cookie, but it delivers every time- chewy raisins and oats, crunchy and buttery edges...oh, so good! There are oats in the cake batter, in the filling and the top cookie crumble. It's got raisins scattered throughout with spicy cinnamon and nutmeg perfuming the whole thing. It's practically health food. If coffee cake and cookies got together and had a love child, this would be it. And what a sweet love child it would be. While there is no coffee in this cake, a warm cuppa is the perfect accompaniment. 

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Coffee Cake adapted from Baking Bites

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For The Cake:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup quick cooking oats
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Cookie Crumble:

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup quick cooking oats

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan.

To make the cookie crumble: In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until well combined and the mixture is coarse and sandy. Stir in raisins and oats until mixed throughout. Set aside while you make the cake batter.

To make the cake: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time.

Blend in half of the flour mixture until just combined. Add all of the buttermilk and the vanilla and stir until  well mixed, then blend in the remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined, but do not overbeat.

To Assemble: Pour half of the batter into prepared pan. Top with half of the cookie crumble. Pour remaining batter on top and spread carefully to the sides of the pan. Sprinkle the remaining crumble evenly over the batter.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, before running a knife around the edge and carefully removing the springform ring. Allow to cool completely before serving. 

Store cake in an airtight container.

Thank you for the support and encouragement you all have shown me here at Lick The Bowl Good. I couldn't do this without each and every one of you. I hope to bring you many new and delicious creations in the upcoming year. Please be safe as you ring in 2013. Cheers!

~Monica H

Carrots For Breakfast? Yes!

Do you make resolutions for the new year? Did any of you resolve to eat healthier this year? If so, then I have a healthy and delicious breakfast recipe for you today. I don't usually make New Year's resolutions because they often get broken and I can't stand the guilt and shame I bring upon myself when I don't follow through with them. Instead I just try to do better everyday, though sometimes I slip. The one silent resolution I did make this year was to read more to Hayden- simple yet gratifying.

Anyway, back to this recipe. Carrot Cake Pancakes. Sounds and tastes completely indulgent but they're light in calories and cram packed full of goodies. I've made these pancakes before but I didn't like the way the photos turned out so I never blogged them. I decided to make them again (only better this go round) when Grimmway Farms offered me some of their carrots to make a recipe with. Grimmway Farms, also known as Cal-Organic and Bunny-Luv has some great California grown produce. We used to feed our bunny, August, Bunny-Luv carrots and he, of course, loved them :-)

These pancakes are delicious. They have all the basics that are in the actual cake, including shredded carrots, brown sugar, nuts and spices. But I decided to kick them up a bit by adding crushed pineapple, sweetened shredded coconut, and raisins. Of course most carrot cakes are topped with cream cheese frosting, but a single pat of butter and some golden maple syrup is all these really need. These pancakes are dense, hearty and satisfying but not heavy. If you're looking for a little something different to try this weekend, I hope you'll try these pancakes. They also freeze and reheat well so make a double batch to enjoy during the week.

Carrot Cake Pancakes adapted from Picky Cook

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• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups grated carrot
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 3 Tablespoons crushed pineapple
• 3 Tablespoons shredded coconut
• 3 Tablespoons raisins
• 3 Tablespoons toasted chopped pecans
• butter for pan

Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in a large bowl with a whisk.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk brown sugar, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and eggs together.

Add sugar mixture to the flour mixture and gently combine with a large spatula. Do not overmix. Fold in the carrots, orange zest, pineapple, coconut, raisins and pecans.

Heat a cast iron skillet/griddle/other large skillet over medium heat. Coat the bottom with butter. Spoon (1/4 cup) batter into the skillet and gently spread the batter out a little bit. Cook for a couple minutes or until you see the top covered with bubbles. Flip over and cook another minute or two.

Keep pancakes warm in 190 degree oven until you are ready to serve. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Makes about 12 four-inch pancakes.

Ooooh, come to momma!

If you'd like to give Grimmway Farms carrots a try, just tell me how you'd use them and you may be chosen to receive a coupon for free produce. Thank you Grimmway Farms!

The recipients of the Grimmway Farms coupons are revealed HERE.

Baby Shower: Oatmeal Cream Pies

I'm having a baby tomorrow! That is something I never thought I'd say or type. It's taken us a long time to get where we are and come tomorrow morning, bright and early, we will be heading to the hospital to bring Baby Boy H into this world. Happy September to me! We have a couple names picked out, but nothing definite. We want to wait to see him to make sure that his name fits him. We are beyond thrilled and blessed and can't wait to meet and see the little Mister. I've loved being pregnant, but it has been difficult and exhausting at times. Despite all that, I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. I will absolutely share my bundle of joy with you all as I know many of you have prayed for this baby as much as I have. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will update as soon as I can, but I can't promise when that will be.

While we are both anxiously awaiting his arrival, I hope you'll enjoy these oatmeal cream pies that I made for Maranda's baby shower last month. Her baby shower was a week after mine and I was asked to bake the sweet treats for everyone. I was honored and happy to do so! I happen to know that Maranda's favorite cookies are oatmeal raisin and she loves strawberries, so I made her these simple and delicious oatmeal cream pies as well as my sister's favorite strawberry birthday cake. Both were well received and devoured. This was a sweet way to welcome Baby N into this world.

I've made these oatmeal cream pies before but it's been awhile. Believe me they were just as good as I remembered. The secret to making cream pies as opposed to cookie sandwiches is that you make them a day ahead of time and refrigerate them to get them nice and soft. This also allows the flavors meld together and the cream filling and the cookie become one. You can certainly adapt this cookie if you want. You can leave out the raisins or add chocolate chips or cinnamon chips, or maybe add dried cranberries or just leave them plain. All versions will be delicious I'm sure. If you try them, I hope you'll come back and let me know how you liked them!

Oatmeal Cream Pies from Quaker and Monica H

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For The Cookies:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raisins
• 3 cups Quaker Oats, old fashioned, uncooked

For The Filling:

• 8 oz. mascarpone cheese
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 3-4 Tablespoons honey
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

For The Cookies: Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat together butter and sugars til creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Add combined flour, soda, cinnamon, salt. Mix til fully incorporated. Stir in oats and raisins.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet, then remove to wire rack.

For The Filling: Combine cheeses in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer til creamy and lump free. Mix in desired amount of honey. Then stir in sugar til sweetened to your liking.

To Assemble The Cream Pies: Place about one tablespoon of filling on one cookie and top with an additional cookie. Gently squeeze together to allow the filling to come to the edges. Don't press too hard or the filling will ooze out.

Refrigerate overnight to allow the cookies to soften and the flavors to meld together.

Makes about 24 cream pies.

Monkey Bread With A Side Of Monkey Toes

A friend of mine, Maranda of Jolts & Jollies, gave birth to a beautiful baby boy last Monday, August the 8th. Mr. H and I went to visit her in the hospital the very next day when her little man, Baby N, was just one day old (go here to see Baby N). I was so excited to meet him. I got there, smelled him and and held that little bundle of deliciousness in my arms. Then I was told to check out his feet because his toes were incredibly long and "monkey" like. They were and I teased that when he got older he was going to pick things up with his feet. ha ha! Just 3 days later, I went to the doctor and got an ultrasound. We didn't get any clear pictures of his face, but we got a good one of his foot. As soon as the ultrasound tech saw them, she said, "he's got monkey toes!"

This month, for The Cake Slice Bakers, we baked a Hungarian Coffee Cake, also known as Monkey Bread. Because of this months selection, I thought it was perfect timing to share those stinky toes with you all. This Monkey Bread also marks the end of baking from Cake Keeper Cakes from Lauren Chattman. We've been baking from this book for nearly a year already and soon we will bake from a new cake cookbook. It's a secret for now, but I hope to share it with you all next month. I hope it's a good one!

On to this cake...it's Monkey Bread. You've all had it right? Little cakey or yeasty balls of dough, coated in butter and cinnamon sugar all baked together into a Bundt. The end result is a delicious smelling and tasting cake perfect for lazy weekend mornings. I especially liked this cake because it sat out on the counter all day and it was just to easy to walk by and pull a piece off. On the other hand, maybe that's not such a good thing. I halved the recipe and baked it into a 6-cup Bundt rather than making the entire cake, after all it is just the two of us eating for now. My only complaint is that is wasn't so fresh tasting on day two, but that's okay because we ate most of it anyway while it was still warm and gooey straight out of the oven. This version incorporates chopped nuts and raisins into the cake, but it would be equally delicious without them.

Monkey Bread from Cake Keeper Cakes

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For The Topping:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar

For The Cake:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 9 Tbsp. unsalted butter, chilled
• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. buttermilk, plus more if necessary
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
• 1/4 cup raisins, optional

For The Topping: Whisk together the melted butter and light brown sugar. Set aside.

For The Cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a nonstick 12-cup Bundt pan and dust with flour.

Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a sipper-top bag. Cut the butter into a 1/4-inch dice. Place the butter in a small bowl and set it in the freezer while you gather the rest of the baking ingredients.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the chilled butter pieces and, with an electric mixer , mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse meal. (I incorporated my butter into the flour using a pastry cutter.)

Stir in the buttermilk until the mixture just comes together, adding an extra tablespoon or two if the mixture is too dry.

Use a small ice cream scoop or spoon to scoop up balls of dough and transfer them to the zipper top bag. Shake the bag to coat the balls with cinnamon sugar. (I only did about 3 balls of dough at a time, otherwise they stuck together.)

Place the coated balls of dough in the prepared pans, sprinkling nuts and raisins (if using) over them as you go. Pour the melted butter/sugar mixture over the cake.

Bake until the cake is firm and well risen and the caramel is melted, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan, on a wire rack, for 10 minutes. Invert onto a serving platter and serve immediately.

Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to a day.

NOTE: If halving this recipe, bake in a 6-cup Bundt pan for 35-40 minutes.

Cinnamon Sugar Love and A Winner

Today I bring you cinnamon swirl raisin bread. I've wanted to make this for Mr. H for years! I'm not sure why I never did, though I think it's because Sun-Maid raisin bread is so much easier to buy. That said, I definitely think that the fresher loaf, toasted and slathered with salted butter was MUCH better. Need proof? Mr. H and I finished off a loaf in two days. I made the mistake of sharing the other loaf with my in-laws. It wasn't a mistake on their behalf because they got to eat it, but we were left wanting more.

I made these loaves of cinnamon swirl raisin bread with Michelle and Ingrid. Neither one of them like raisins so theirs will just be cinnamon swirl, but we really liked the additions of raisins, leave 'em out if you don't. Or you could add dried cranberries or other fruit or nuts if you'd like. I then topped off this warm loaf with melted butter then sprinkled it with even more cinnamon sugar. Delish!

We never tasted the bread fresh out of the oven, so we only had it toasted. It wasn't too sweet, but the cinnamon flavor really came through since it's in the dough, in the center and on top of the bread, creating a nice crunch. It's not a difficult recipe but it does require some time to allow the yeast to do it's job. If you're a fan of breakfasts breads, I'd definitely give this one a try. Don't forget the butter!

Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread adapted from BBA

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Mix Time: 20 mins Total Rise Time: 3½ hours Bake Time: 50 mins

For the bread:

• 3½ cups unbleached bread flour
• 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1¼ teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons shortening, melted or at room temperature
• ½ cup buttermilk or whole milk, at room temperature
• ¾ cup water, at room temperature
• 1½ cups raisins, rinsed and drained

For the cinnamon sugar swirl:

• 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 tbsp ground Cinnamon

For the topping:

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

1. Stir together the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer). Add the egg, shortening, buttermilk, and water. Stir together with a large spoon (or mix on low speed with the paddle attachment) until the ingredients come together and form a ball. Adjust with flour or water if the dough seems too sticky or too dry and stiff.

2. Sprinkle flour on a counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mixing on medium speed, switching to the dough hook). The dough should be soft and pliable, tacky but not sticky. Add flour as you knead (or mix), if necessary, to achieve this texture. Knead by hand for approximately 10 minutes (or by machine for 6 to 8 minutes). Sprinkle in the raisins during the final 2 minutes of kneading (or mixing) to distribute them evenly and to avoid crushing them too much. (If you are mixing by machine, you may have to finish kneading by hand to distribute the raisins evenly.) The dough should pass the windowpane test and register 77 to 81 degrees F. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

3. Ferment at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.

4. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and form them into loaves. Gently press each part out into a rectangle (about 8" by 5") I pressed out my dough into an 8" x 15" rectangle so I could get more of a swirl in the center., with the long side facing you. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over one side of the rectangle. Now tightly roll, starting from the long side facing you. Seal the end and place in a loaf pan, seam side down. Repeat for the other rectangle.

5. Place each loaf in a lightly oiled 8½ by 4½-inch pan, mist the tops with spray oil, and cover loosely with plastic wrap.

6. Proof at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes, or until the dough crests above the lips of the pans and is nearly doubled in size.

7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F with the oven rack on the middle shelf. Place the loaf pans on a sheet pan, making sure they are not touching each other.

8. Bake the loaves for 20 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees for even baking and continue baking for another 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the oven. The finished breads should register 190 degrees F in the center and be golden brown on top and lightly golden on the sides and bottom. They should make a hollow sound when thumped on the bottom.

9. Immediately remove the breads from their pans. Mix together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for the topping in a shallow plate. Brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter as soon as they come out of the bread pans, and then roll them in the cinnamon sugar. Cool loaves on a rack for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 hours, before slicing or serving.

Yield: 2 loaves

Now onto the winner of my giveaway...

Susan In Texas!

Susan was recently laid off and has been filling up her time baking for others. Susan, I hope you bake lots of cakes and continue to provide a "lift" for those who need it. Enjoy your new Anniversary Bundt pan and cake carrier.

Thank you to all of you who entered the contest and who left recipes! I'm so looking forward to making some of those delicious cakes.

No Clever Title Just Good Coffee Cake

This wonderfully aromatic coffee cake comes from Southern Cakes by Nancie McDermott. This is the new book that was chosen by The Cake Slice Bakers to bake from throughout the following year. I'm really looking forward to simpler pound cakes and home style confections. Don't get me wrong, I'll always have a special place in my heart for statuesque triple layer beauties.

This cinnamon pecan coffee cake was really tasty. The streusel was buttery and cinnamony and the cake itself was dense and light at the same time. When I saw the picture of this coffee cake, I thought the little black pieces were chocolate chips, which only made me want to make it all the quicker. But as I started to read the recipe, I realized they were raisins. I like raisins, but not in coffee cake, so I left those out and added extra pecans for more crunch. It also had a pronounced cinnamon flavor since I used Red Ape Cinnamon again. I've been adding it to all my cinnamon dishes and Mr. H says we're going to turn into apes!

This recipe makes an entire 9x13 pan of coffee cake so I halved the recipe and baked it into an 8x8 in Pyrex (it baked for the same amount of time). It was excellent hot, right out of the oven with a cup of coffee and some salty bacon. But it was also good the next day heated slightly and topped off with a pat of butta love. This would be a nice alternative to cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning!

Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake from Southern Cakes

Printable Version

For the Cake:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs

For the Cinnamon Raisin Filling:

• 1½ cups light brown sugar
• 3 tbsp all purpose flour
• 3 tbsp cinnamon
• 1½ cups raisins
• 1½ cups coarsely chopped pecans
• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, melted

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 9 inch pan.

To make the filling, combine the light brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a bowl and stir with a fork to mix everything well. Combine the raisins and pecans in another bowl and toss to mix them. Place the cinnamon mixture, nut mixture and melted butter by the baking pan to use later.

To make the cake batter, combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Stir the vanilla into the milk. In a large bowl combine the butter and sugar and beat with a mixer on high speed until pale yellow and evenly mixed, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl to ensure a good mix. Add the eggs and beat for another 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl now and then, until the mixture is smooth and light.

Use a large spoon or spatula to add about a third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir only until the flour disappears. Add a third of the milk and mix in. Repeat twice more until all the flour and milk mixtures have been incorporated. Stir just enough to keep the batter smooth.

Spread half the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half the cinnamon mixture over the batter followed by half the melted butter. Scatter half the raisins and nuts over the top. Spread the remaining batter carefully over the filling, using a spatula to smooth the batter all the way to the edges of the pan. Top with the leftover cinnamon, butter and nut mixture, covering the cake evenly.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the cake is golden brown, fragrant and beginning to pull away from the edges of the pan. Place the pan on a wire rack and allow to cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before serving in squares right from the pan. The cake is delicious hot, warm or at room temperature.

Click here to visit the new line up of Cake Slice Bakers!

Thank you and A Salad

Thank you all so much for your kind and supportive emails and comments on my last post regarding my son. Some of them made me smile, some made me cry (in a good way) and I truly appreciate each and every one of them...more than you know.

Moving on to carrot salad. Simple, delicious and good for you. It's vibrant and orange so that makes it fun! And it's a necessity on any Southern buffet line, IMHO.

Whenever we go to our favorite mom and pop restaurant we go through the salad bar and get carrot salad. I love it when they add mini marshmallows to it, because they add a bite of tender sweetness that is just so good. It's also something we always get when we go to Luby's Cafeteria or "Luly's" as the folk on King of the Hill call it :-) So I decided to make it at home and it couldn't be simpler and the hubs gave it two thumbs up!

Carrot-Pineapple-Raisin Salad from Luby's

• 2 lbs. raw carrots, peeled and shredded
• 1 cup chunky or crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup raisins soaked in hot water to plump, then drained*
• 1/2 powdered sugar

Combine carrots, pineapple, mayonnaise, raisins and powdered sugar; mix well. Chill until ready to serve.

Makes 8 servings. (I halved this recipe.)

NOTE: *I warmed the pineapple juice (from the drained pineapple) to soak the raisins in.

And another for good measure- Autumn eyeing my carrot salad :-)

My Secret Love

I love carrot cake. It's a secret passion of mine. Really, it is. I love it! So when I came across this recipe, I had to make it. It does not taste like carrot cake, however- sorry to disappoint. But it is very good. It has all the same elements that are in a carrot cake minus the cream cheese frosting, but I can fix that. Add a dollop of frosting to the top and there you have a very sinful breakfast.

Regardless of what you put in or on this oatmeal, it is healthy and filling. Oatmeal is heart healthy, carrots are full of Vitamin A and Beta Carotene which are good for your eyes and skin (I think) And brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon are just plain good. Honestly do I have to twist your arm to try this? I just look at it and I start drooling!

Carrot Cake Oatmeal adapted from A Cup of Jo

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup grated carrot (1 carrot)
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted

Combine the oats, milk, water, carrots, raisins, brown sugar and salt in a saucepan. Cook on medium heat and stir occasionally until mixture comes almost to a boil and most of the liquid is absorbed, which takes about 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast chopped pecans and coconut in a 350 degree oven until slightly golden. When oats are done, stir in vanilla and cinnamon. Pour oats into a bowl and add top with pecans and coconut.

NOTE: Don't get impatient and put the oven on broil because the coconut isn't browning fast enough because it'll burn faster than you know resulting in blackened, unrecognizable, inedible shards and you'll have to scrap it and start all over again. And, no, I do not speak from experience :-) Or you can skip this step all together and use untoasted nuts and coconut. But if you choose to toast them, your house will smell so good!

The original recipe calls for a drizzle of maple syrup over the top, but I decided to swirl in brown sugar, because I LOVE brown sugar and oatmeal. It's a match made in heaven. And I added in raisins because every carrot cake I've ever had, had raisins in it. But leave them out if you don't like them.

I saved a bite for you.