A light, tangy oat cake that tastes like strawberry lemonade — bright, barely sweet, and flour-free. Six slices at about 90 calories each, so a slice is a genuinely low-cost treat.

The move that makes it: grate in as much lemon zest as you can. It’s the difference between “fine” and “make it again.”

Ingredients

  • Oats — 1 cup (quick or rolled) [P 12 C 54 F 6]
  • Protein powder — 1 scoop, ~30 g (vanilla) [P 24 C 3 F 1]
  • Egg whites — ¼ cup [P 6 C 0 F 0]
  • Strawberries — ½ cup, sliced (5–7 whole) [P 1 C 6 F 0]
  • Milk — ⅓ cup (1% skim) [P 3 C 4 F 0]
  • Lemon juice — 2 tbsp (plus zest)
  • Sugar-free maple syrup — ¼ cup
  • Baking powder — ½ tsp
  • Baking soda — ½ tsp
  • Vanilla extract — ½ tsp

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F / 175°C.
  2. Make the batter. Blend the oats into a fine powder, then mix with all other ingredients (and the lemon zest) until smooth.
  3. Bake. Transfer to a lined baking dish and bake 20–25 minutes depending on dish size.
  4. Glaze (optional). Mix fat-free Greek yogurt, lemon and a little honey and spoon over slices.

What to eat it with

  • The lemon-yogurt glaze — optional but recommended.
  • Fresh strawberries — on the side.
  • A coffee or tea — it’s light and not too sweet.

Variations

  • More tang: extra zest and a splash more lemon juice.
  • Different berry: raspberries or blueberries.
  • Dairy-free: plant milk and plant protein.

Honest notes

  • Fibre: about 1.5g a slice, from the oats and berries.
  • Zest is not optional-optional: without it the cake is flat — this is the one ingredient to not skip.
  • Macros: the per-slice 90 cal / 8g protein reconciles with the batch split six ways; no correction needed.