We love cake... and there's only one thing we love more than cake for dessert: Cake for breakfast! Usually we drink delicious smoothies, fruit and veggie juices, or even dig into a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast but sometimes, we crave something a bit more decadent.  

Here are some wonderful, tried and true recipes that will keep you looking forward to breakfast every morning.

Middle Eastern Tahini, Date and Cardamom Bulgur Wheat Breakfast Bake

• 2 cups (390 g) coarse or fine-ground bulgur wheat (or a mix of both)
• ½ cup (100 g) coconut palm sugar (or lightly packed light brown sugar)
• 4 cups (950 ml) milk
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1 teaspoon Middle Eastern Cake Spice Mix (see Note below)
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 cup (235 ml) cold water
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup pitted, chopped dates (see Note below)
• Tahini or butter, to grease the casserole dish
• 3 tablespoons chopped raw pistachios
• 3 tablespoons honey

Instructions:

1. Add the bulgur wheat, coconut palm sugar, milk, tahini, cake spice mix, salt, and cardamom to a medium saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to a simmer over medium heat, and then simmer/gently boil for 5 minutes, continuing to stir constantly. Remove from heat, cover the saucepan, and let it sit for 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the cold water, vanilla, eggs, and dates.
3. Grease an 8 by 8-inch pan (or a somewhat equivalent dish) with tahini or butter; pour in the bulgur mixture, cover the dish with foil, and refrigerate 12 hours or up to 3 days before you want to serve.
4. An hour before you want to serve this dish, preheat the oven to 400F. Put the cold casserole dish (straight from the fridge, still covered with foil) into the oven once the oven is up to temperature. Cook the casserole until it's warm throughout and starting to slightly brown on top, about 45 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the pistachios and honey on top and serve hot.

Vegan Banana Oat Bread

This Healthy Vegan Oatmeal Banana Bread is soft, springy, hearty and full of good-for-you ingredients like banana and oats. I managed to mash up 5 super ripe and naturally sweet bananas into the healthy, vegan, comforting breakfast cake. It is topped off with hints of cinnamon, maple syrup, vanilla, flax and coconut oil.

• 1 tbsp flax seed, ground (+ 3 tbsp water)
• 5 medium sized bananas, mashed (1¾ cup mashed bananas)
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• ⅓ cup cane sugar or coconut sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1½ tsp baking powder

• 1½ cup quick cooking or small flakes oats
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 cup white whole wheat or spelt flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 360F or 180C. Lightly oil a standard square baking or loaf pan with coconut oil or non-stick spray.
2. In a small bowl, stir together flax seed and water. Set aside to thicken while mixing together other ingredients. This is your flax 'egg'.
3. In a large size bowl, mash bananas. Add the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, cane sugar, vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, sea salt and baking powder to the banana mixture.
4. Give the thickened flax egg an extra stir if it is not fully combined with water. Add to the wet ingredients. Whisk together with a hand or electric mixture until the ingredients are well combined.
5. Add the quick cooking oats to the wet ingredients. Stir together. Add flour and baking soda to the banana bread batter. Combine the baking soda and flour together on top of the banana bread batter before folding it into the batter. With a spatula, fold the flour and baking soda into the banana bread batter until fully combined. Leave to thicken for a minute before adding it to the loaf pan.
6. Add banana bread batter into the oiled loaf pan. Smooth out the top of the batter with the back of a cold spoon.
7. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clear.
8. Leave to cool down in pan & voila your Banana & Oat Breakfast cake is ready to be devoured and enjoyed!

Blender Banana Oatmeal Muffins- Different Flavors!

Vegan Carrot Cake Bread