Birthday Cake Overnight Oats

These birthday cake overnight oats have a rich and delicious vanilla cake batter flavor that is simply irresistible. You only need a few healthy ingredients to make this recipe, and no yogurt is required. These oats are completely vegan and gluten-free, but you can't tell by how good they taste! Once you try them, you'll be hooked.

It doesn't have to be your birthday (or anyone's birthday) to enjoy these birthday cake overnight oats. They make a fun and festive breakfast all year and once you taste them, you'll definitely be making these more often than just on your birthday.

This oatmeal is inspired by my vegan protein overnight oats recipe, which is another delicious way to enjoy oatmeal sometime!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love These Oats
• Ingredients
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Expert Oatmeal Tips
• Overnight Oats Flavor Variations
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Storing & Freezing
• More Breakfast Recipes
• Recipe

Why You'll Love These Oats

• Cake batter flavor - The flavor of these oats is incredible. They resemble a vanilla cake batter flavor, like dessert for breakfast!
• Healthy ingredients - You only need 10 ingredients for this recipe. They're all healthy for you and provide lots of protein and fiber in the oatmeal.
• No yogurt - A lot of overnight oat recipes use yogurt, but no yogurt is needed in this recipe. These oats are dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan.
• Easy to make - You can whip up a big batch of these overnight oats in just 5 minutes and once they thicken, you can eat them for breakfast all week! Super easy.

Ingredients

The ingredients for the oats are so simple you probably have most of them in your kitchen already. Truly, it's such an easy recipe!

Here are some helpful notes on the ingredients, including substitutions you can make in a pinch. Remember to see the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities.

• Gluten-free rolled oats - Use certified gluten-free rolled oats (or old-fashioned oats) to make the overnight oats gluten-free. Steel-cut oats do not work well in this recipe. Quick oats may work but are not recommended.
• Chia seeds - Chia seeds add fiber and absorb liquid in the oats. They are super healthy for you! You can add more than one tablespoon of chia seeds if you want extra health benefits, but be mindful the oats will thicken a lot more.
• Ground flaxseed - Use ground flaxseed, not whole flax seeds. This adds healthy Omega 3's and fiber to the oatmeal to start your morning strong.
• Almond milk - You can use any unsweetened plant milk in this recipe. Almond milk, cashew milk, soy milk, and oat milk are all great options.
• Maple syrup - Make sure to use 100% pure maple syrup to sweeten the oatmeal. Honey can be used if you aren't vegan.
• Almond butter - Use natural, creamy almond butter without stabilizers for the healthiest oatmeal. Almond butter helps add the cake batter flavor! You may also use cashew butter, but peanut butter may be too overpowering.
• Vanilla & almond extract - Don't leave these out! These pure extracts provide that rich, delicious birthday cake flavor in the oatmeal. If you don't have almond extract, replace it with more vanilla extract or butter extract.
• Sprinkles - I recommend using rainbow "Jimmie" sprinkles for the festive birthday cake look, but most sprinkles work just fine! Keep in mind if you use the tiny, round, nonpareil rainbow sprinkles, the color will bleed and turn the oats a purple shade.

Step-by-Step Instructions

It only takes 5 minutes to mix up the overnight oats. You just need one large mixing bowl and a spoon. That's it!

STEP 1: Stir dry ingredients. Add the gluten-free oats, chia seeds, flaxseed, and salt to a big mixing bowl and stir everything together until evenly combined.

STEP 2: Add wet ingredients. Next, add the plant milk, almond butter, maple syrup, and pure extracts to the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir vigorously until the almond butter is distributed evenly and you have a creamy oatmeal mixture. It may seem "runny," but it will thicken overnight. Don't mix in the sprinkles yet!

STEP 3: Chill the oats. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours. Chilling them overnight will allow them to thicken even more.

STEP 4: Stir in sprinkles. After the oats have chilled, gently stir in the sprinkles. Try not to mix them too much or the sprinkles could break and bleed color into the oats.

STEP 5: Transfer the oatmeal. I recommend transferring the oatmeal into two small jars for serving, but you can use small bowls or other containers.

STEP 6: Add toppings and serve. Top the birthday cake overnight oats with a dollop of dairy-free coconut whipped cream and some extra sprinkles. You can also try adding some fresh fruit or berries. Then grab a spoon and dig in!

TIP: If you're saving some oatmeal for later, it's best not to add toppings until right before serving to keep things fresh.

Expert Oatmeal Tips

• Don't shorten the chill time - These are called overnight oats for reason, and they need time to set up in the fridge to properly thicken. Let them chill for at least four hours if you want that thick and creamy oatmeal texture.
• Freshen oats with a splash of milk - After the oats have chilled overnight, you can "freshen them up" with a splash of plant milk or water. This is especially helpful if the oats have thickened too much for your personal preference.
• Be cautious using quick oats - For best results, use rolled oats or old-fashioned oats. These oats are thicker and "heartier" and work well in overnight oat recipes. Quick oats are thinner, lighter, and don't absorb liquid as well.
• Add sprinkles after chilling - Don't add the sprinkles to the oatmeal until they have chilled. The color from the sprinkles can bleed into the oats if they are mixed in before the oatmeal has a chance to thicken.

Overnight Oats Flavor Variations

These birthday cake oats are super delicious as is, but here are some other fun flavor variations you can try sometime:

• Coconut milk overnight oats - Replace the almond milk with unsweetened coconut milk for a refreshing coconut birthday cake flavor.
• Extra cake batter flavor - For the best cake batter flavor in the overnight oats, add ½ teaspoon butter extract. This adds a rich, buttery cake flavor!
• High-protein overnight oats - Consider adding 1-2 tablespoons of vanilla plant-based protein powder if you want to make high-protein oats. You may need to add an extra splash of milk. You can also add more almond butter, but the flavor may change and taste not as much like cake.
• Sweeter oats - Add an additional tablespoon of pure maple syrup if you prefer sweeter oats for breakfast. They might not be quite as thick.

For a totally different flavor, give this vegan carrot cake oatmeal a try.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing & Freezing

Store leftover oats in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Wait to add toppings right before serving for maximum freshness. I do not recommend freezing the oatmeal due to the high moisture content and difficulty thawing the oats.

How long do overnight oats last?

Overnight oats will last in the fridge for 2-3 days when kept in an airtight container. Small mason jars with lids are the perfect way to store overnight oats easily!

More Breakfast Recipes

Did you make these birthday cake overnight oats? I would really appreciate it if you could leave a star rating and review below. If you post a photo and tag me on Instagram, I would love to share it! Remember to join my email list and follow me on Pinterest to stay updated with new and exclusive recipes.

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