Cranberry-Oatmeal-Walnut Cake

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk or low-fat plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) chopped walnuts
• pecans
• or toasted and skinned hazelnuts (see Notes)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
3. Spread the oats in a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
4. Let cool.
5. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, brown sugar, and oil together until blended and stir in the buttermilk or yogurt, molasses, and vanilla.
6. In a medium bowl, combine the flours, toasted oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon.
7. Stir to blend.
8. Add the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture and beat for about 1 minute, or until smooth.
9. Stir in the cranberries.
10. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
11. Toss the nuts and remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon together and sprinkle evenly over the top.
12. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
13. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack.
14. Serve warm, cut into squares or strips.
15. MUFFIN VARIATION: Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out mounds of batter and drop into paper-lined large (2 3/4 inches in diameter) muffin cups.
16. Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
17. Makes 12 large muffins.