- 1½ cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1½ cups buttermilk or low-fat plain yogurt
- ¼ 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
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup (2 ounces) chopped walnuts, pecans, or toasted and skinned hazelnuts
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
- Spread the oats in a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Let cool.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs, brown sugar, and oil together until blended and stir in the buttermilk or yogurt, molasses, and vanilla. In a medium bowl, combine the flours, toasted oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Stir to blend. Add the dry ingredients to the buttermilk mixture and beat for about 1 minute, or until smooth. Stir in the cranberries. Spread evenly in the prepared pan. Toss the nuts and remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon together and sprinkle evenly over the top.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Serve warm, cut into squares or strips.
- MUFFIN VARIATION: Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out mounds of batter and drop into paper-lined large (2¾ inches in diameter) muffin cups. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Makes 12 large muffins.