I am on a mission to find a protein bar that’s delicious, but doesn’t use soy as a main ingredient (personal choice to cut back, do your own thing). Welp, that’s not as easy or cheap as I’d like so I decided to try and make my own.
I looked up a few recipes and used Jamie Eason’s Cinnamon Swirl Protein Bars as inspiration.
Clean Coffee Cake Recipe
Dry Ingredients:
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1 c oat flour (I blended oats myself because I had them)
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2 scoops vanilla protein powder (I used whey)
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1/4c stevia or sugar
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1/2 tsp salt
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1/2 tsp baking powder
Wet ingredients:
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2 egg whites
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1/2c plain greek yogurt
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1/2c milk of your choice (cow/almond/soy/cat)
Plus – cinnamon
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8×8 dish with non-stick spray. Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately. Combine thoroughly.
Pour half of the batter into the dish. Dust with cinnamon. Pour rest of batter. Dust with more cinnamon. 
Bake for 26 minutes or until top is set. Let cool (optional because you know I didn’t do that) and cut into 9 pieces. Or 2 – one for me, one for you.
This “clean” coffee cake recipe is also gluten free and packed with protein!
I topped my piece with peanut butter and it was melty and delicious on top. Mmmmm.
I stored the rest in the fridge and popped 2 in the toaster oven today for a snack. They are still delicious! You know how sometimes healthy baked goods get weird later – these didn’t. Win.
Question: When was the last time you had cake?
If it’s been longer than a week, you’re doing it wrong 
so im curious as to why you changed Jamie Easons recipe? Didnt like it?
I would definitely try this at home, as it seems to be my type of food. I really enjoy baking and doing experiments with food. I hope my son will like it too, as he like to eat barbecue stuff. Let me see how good I can bake and prepare the same thing for my family. Thanks for sharing your wonderful ideas here.
It looks amazing and delicious. I actually have all the ingredients at home and I think that I should this making this. Thank you for sharing.
Just made these- absolutely gorgeous!! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Just wanted to post that I made this cake (which I turned into bars) subbing the oat flour for almond meal and coconut flour and it was outstanding! I also added a little vanilla extract. Ate the whole thing in two days. Can’t stop won’t stop. That’s all 🙂
Glad you liked it!
Quick question: you mentioned in the recipe to use either a 1/4 cup stevia or sugar. Generally, the amounts for stevia are much lower as it is soooo much sweeter. Should they really be the same amounts?
You’re right, I used 1/4c stevia and it was probably too sweet for most people so yes 1/4c sugar and less stevia to taste.
Hi Monica – I am a longtime reader (and until now, lurker). I noticed your note about looking for a protein bar with good nutritional stats that does not source primarily from soy… have you tried Quest bars? They are whey-based (no soy, no gluten, tons of fiber, and not a ton of sugar alcohols). I can personally attest to the amazing-ness of the chocolate brownie and cookie dough flavors. happy running 🙂
as soon as i restock my cat milk, i’m making this! this looks so good! i hate experimenting with protein powder baked goods.. all mine always come out too spongy.
“You tried to milk him, didn’t you you sick son of a bitch?” 🙂
Looks delicious!!
I made a real gluten-free cake with chocolate fudge frosting a week from last Sunday. I made it last for 4 days. a miracle for sure.
First off, THAT COMIC! Omg, it’s so true. LOVE IT! I’ve been hard-core craving a cinnamon coffee cake this week, too! Might have to make it just because. Thanks!!
Also, I definitely had cake last night…in a mug!! That’s my new addiction….perfect for a single serving, and I can’t go overboard!
I like coffee cake because I feel that since the word coffee is in it, it is appropriate for breakfast. I also feel that carrot cake is a vegetable.
looks so good. I keep saying I am going to make some protien bars or balls. Something I should do when I am snowed in this weekend! (again!)
That looks so good and super easy!
I have a thyroid thing and stay away from soy and have definitely noticed it is in all protein bars!! Also noticed last year when I was adding tons of spinach to my smoothies, it really, really affected my thyroid levels (I take meds). Do you stay away from other goitregenic foods too?
I don’t take medicine but had a partial lobectomy and I have started staying away from soy and those other foods. Soy is not as hard for me as the raw spinach, broccoli and kale. I do feel better than ever though so it is worth it. Any other tips you have?
I probably eat too much cake. I have a whole cake in the fridge I am working my way through. It’s taking all my will power not to devour the thing in one sitting.
this looks excellent- I’m going to try it this weekend!
Oh God, this is depressing – it was Christmas time. I AM doing it wrong!
Does last Friday equal a week? Dang…I’m gonna raid the fridge for the sponge cake I brought back from that same Friday’s potluck dinner (each of us took doggie-bag leftover/way way too much food).
I would love to learn more about protein powders. Any way you would talk about that in a post? I have been told to stay away from whey too much dairy. Love the recipe and can’t wait to try it! Thanks!
Looks so good! I had some birthday cake tonight… Funfetti, the best kind!
cat milk lol
this looks awesome – making it!
You had me laughing out loud with the cat milk! These look awesome- I’m tempted to make them right now:)
these look delicious! I CANNOT wait to try them. They look so much better than the pre-packaged processed protein bars you usually see. thanks for the recipe! 🙂
This sounds like an awesome recipe. When you made your own oat flour, did you use quick or steel cut oats? I would assume quick oats would work better, but I’m not really sure. It’s been far too long since I’ve had cake, probably since my sister-in-law-to-be’s birthday about a month ago.
I used quick, just in my blender all scrappy style.
i had funfetti cake for my friend’s son first birthday on sunday! 🙂
The last time I had cake was yesterday! My boyfriend got me this huuuge sheet cake for Valentine’s Day. I’m trying to finish it slowly, and have been eating cake basically everyday! And it’s the real deal, complete with a thick layer of buttercream frosting. So yummy!
Cake is one of my greatest pleasures in life. Not the trendy cupcakes of modern day, but the real thing. Give me a slab from a beautifully crafted cake, and you’ll make me one happy girl 🙂
yummm. this looks great!
My husband brought me cake for my birthday (Jan) and Valentine’s day, and I’m sad to say I did not like either piece that he got me. It has been awhile since I’ve had cake that I’ve enjoyed. *sigh* Life is hard. LOL
I had Tiramisu Saturday night as a belated birthday treat. Is that considered a cake? And then they were handing out donut holes at the 10 Mile Marker of the IMS Arizona Half Marathon. It would have been rude not to take one.
I’m actually not a cake eater but this one looks and sounds delicious!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
i haven’t had cake in a while. sad. i had donuts yesterday though, so i guess that counts. i’m totally making this recipe tonight!
Ummm, yum. That is all! I love cake!
Yum! I haven’t had cake in a while but I had brownies yesterday 😉
I don’t eat much cake, but I did eat THREE large donuts on Monday morning. After my Sunday marathon. They were fresh and delicious. I highly recommend this process of running marathons and then eating things you never, ever eat. The end.
I 1000% agree.
This looks awesome! I love when I come across recipes I don’t need to modify. I can’t have soy or nuts, so I’m always super excited to try out recipes that I can eat, especially in cake form!
Dammit! I’m all out of cat milk!
Can you share why you are trying to stay away from soy? I personally stay away from it when I can because of my PCOS.
I’m trying to stay away from it because of my thyroid. My holistic nutrition lady said I should.
Ahhh my gosh, this is SUCH a good idea! I’ll have to make it sometime soon 😀
Looks good and I think I have all those ingredients in my kitchen!
I had cake for my son’s birthday and then again two days later on Valentines day. 🙂
Coffee cake is one of those things that I will take the “real” version thank you. In the spirit of balance, not everything has to be super clean. But then again, if it is clean coffee cake or a real beer, I may take the beer.
The Kidless Kronicles
I’ve been drinking so much real vodka I really should keep everything else clean and it still wouldn’t even out…
I have to agree with you on this one, Nicole…when it comes to cake, I want it to be the real thing, even if that means a small slice 🙂
Have you looked at the P90x protein bars. I think they are whey protein. Just a suggestion. If you would like to try one I could send you a sample 🙂
Are they in stores?
you can find them online at http://www.beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/megmcmuffin
Under the nutrition and supplement area on my website you can find them. They’re the most delicious protein bars I’ve had. If you want to email me I can send you a sample 🙂
This looks delicious! I actually have all the ingredients on hand so I’ll try this out tonight for dessert.