The next few posts are full of delicious food with lousy photos. For whatever reasons, lately it feels like it’s all I can do to grab a few very much not staged shots before we dig in. And not staged means you can see computers, pepper grinders, random cookbooks, phones, keyboards, hands, you name it peeking in the corners of the pictures. Alas alas.
But you trust me by now, right? So believe me when I say that this cake is really worth making, whether my pictures sucked you in or not. I started with a recipe from Lauren Chattman’s Cake Keeper Cakes: 100 Simple Recipes for Extraordinary Bundt Cakes, Pound Cakes, Snacking Cakes, and Other Good-to-the-Last-Crumb Treats, which as many of you know if one of my absolute favorite cake cookbook.
The cake is actually quite unique, in a subtle kind of way. I expected it to taste like a chocolate chip pound cake–plus the beauty of knowing it was a tad healthier. But actually the oats make a strong comment here. They are rustic, chewy and definitively present. My family went crazy for this; much like that Chocolate Glazed Chocolate Chip Cake, every last crumb of this was consumed long before it could get even a little dried out. And the kids of course got a gigantic hoot out of the butterfly pan I used. Actually, I confess, so did I. (For the record, the cake is a “snacking” cake and originally intended for a 8 inch square pan (2 inches deep)).
Note: Read the recipe through and make sure you give yourself time for the oats to cool.
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)
- ¾ cup boiling water
- 1½ cups (189 g) AP flour
- 1½ t baking powder
- ½ t salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ t vanilla
- 1½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- Pour the boiling water over the oats in a heat-proof bowl. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour (or use Baker's Joy type product) your butterfly pan (or an 8X8X2 pan). Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Remove 1 tablespoon of thix mixture and toss it with the chocolate chips. Set both aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes on medium-high with an electric mixer. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Mix in the oats.
- Add the flour mixture ½ cup at a time, mixing on low speed if using electric mixer. Stir in the chocolate chips. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan; smooth the top level. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few crumbs attached. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
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So cute! I've never heard of a cake that contained oats before. Sounds good 🙂
such a cute pan! i believe you that this is worth making–i love oats in desserts!
Haha, girl, ALL of my pictures are bad 🙂 I need to get me some photo skills!! Cake looks great!
this looks delicious lovely picture
That cake looks lovely and sounds delicious. Don't be too hard on your pictures. I mean, this is life, not a magazine, right? We all have that stuff.
Chocolate chip oatmeal – what a great combination!
Wow, that cake looks great! Who cares about staging when it looks that good on its own!
Love all things butterfly – have a tattoo on my arm for permanent keeps:)
Delicious! amazing photos! I should stop getting on foodbuzz right before I should get going to work – now I'm sitting here drooling and almost certain to be late for work 🙂
How cute is that! I have to say, I don't think I've seen a butterfly choc-chip oatmeal cake! :-p Gosh, I can't get over how darn cute that is.
chocolate and oatmeal sound like they can be good friends here. Looks great and soo cute too!
I adore the butterfly shape. So cute. What a neat cake. I like that the oatmeal didn't fade away in the flavor….going to have to give this a whirl. 🙂
I love these photos, which are more real life than the staged food porn so prevalent. It makes your food look more edible!
Thank you, and awesome recipe, too.
what a fun shape! someone's anxious for spring, am i right? 🙂
Nice choice of design, ready to fly:) The cake sounds delicious
Congrats on Top 9 featuring! beautiful tasty butterfly 🙂
I love anything with oatmeal in it. It almost feels like it is absorbing the butter and cholesterol from the cake. Makes it healthier! Beautifully baked and unmolded! Not an easy task! Well done and a well deserved Top 9!! Julie
Love the photos, they're great. The cake speaks for itself, no need for a food stylist.
If I wanted perfectly staged pictures, I'd go to a company website or a pay website. I want real photos of what real people make when I visit a foodies site or a review site.
Love cake and oatmeal that look delicious
Farida
http://foodfresh.blogspot.com/
Love the butterfly! I started making this and realized my only appropriate pan currently holds baked oatmeal, so I am trying it as cupcakes.
–Jessica from CLBB