Low Sodium Oatmeal Spice Cake

 

This is a delicious oatmeal spice cake recipe. The original is from an old cookbook I have from back when people didn't care about fats, sugar or Sodium. I've made it lighter and cut the sodium content significantly by leaving out added salt, using unsalted butter and shortening, and using low sodium baking powder rather than straight baking soda (which has tons of sodium). I've enhanced the taste with a lot of spices and you can even add orange zest or 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves to give it a bit more "zing"! I cut it into 16 slices but if I did not have to watch portions, I'd probably do 8!

1/2 cup pure apple juice

1/2 cup water

1 cup rolled oats (old fashioned)

1/4 cup unsalted butter

¼ cup shortening

1/2 cup lightly packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons molasses

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon allspice

1 tsp reduced sodium baking powder

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup dried fruit (cranberries, raisins etc)

 Instructions

 1.      Line the bottom of a 13x9x2 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Grease and flour the sides.

2.      Bring apple juice, water, dried fruit, brown sugar, butter, maple syrup and molasses to a boil. Pour over oats and allow to cool.

3.      Mix the spices, baking powder, and flour together in a small bowl. Set aside.

4.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

5.      Whisk the two eggs until pale in color. Add vanilla.

6.      Mix in eggs, and vanilla into cooled oat mixture. Add the flour and stir until combined.

7.      Pour into prepared baking dish, bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted comes out clean

8.      Cool and cut into 16 slices.