That Leftover Cereal

My family has been eating a lot of hot cereals lately. Barley, oats, kamut, rye, millet, amaranth -- you name it, we had it. When you top a bowl with molasses and homemade hazelnut-maple cream, hot cereals make a delicious and nutritious breakfast!

The trouble comes when there are leftovers. It is never enough for the whole family again; and no one person remembers (or wants) to eat it. Sometimes, we use leftovers to make creamy grain milk for smoothies; one time, I even put the leftovers in the blender with some milk, and made pancakes!

Today, I tried a new thing: cake. It actually came out really well.

I took the leftover nut cream from breakfast (this time, it was almond sweetened with agave), and I added to it a dash of cardamon, a dash or so of pumpkin spice, and a few anise seeds. I also added some more agave for sweetness. We no longer use a lot of cinnamon and nutmeg because of their medicinal properties. That would be like taking antibiotics for pain: after a while, you need a higher dosage to meet a real need. The pumpkin spice has some nutmeg and cinnamon, though.

I heated about two cups of milk (Westsoy, in this case) and placed a 1-inch piece of vanilla bean. I put the cereal and the milk in the blender, and whizzed it on high for two to three minutes until it was smooth. Then I poured it into a bowl, added some oil and baking powder, and mixed in some all-purpose flour. Usually, we would use whole wheat pastry flour; but it was a new pack, and I did not want to open it. =)

As you can see, I did not follow a recipe; I did not even measure. =P So sharing is a bit awkward. Try to follow the ratio and hope for the best.

A word on baking time: it varies. Depending on the cereal you use and the temperament (not temperature) of your oven, you will need to adjust the time; so have your cake tester handy! In my case, I used leftover stovetop oatmeal, about one cup, and leftover crockpot millet-amaranth cereal, about one cup. We baked the cake in the toaster oven (long story); and it took approximately fifty minutes on 350 degrees Fahrenheit. The cereal will cause the texture to be moist; but fear not, because it was precooked. I would say that forty-five minutes on 350 degrees will bake it well.

Leftover Cereal Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of very warm milk
• 2 cups of cooked cereal
• 1/4 cup of agave (or 1/3 cup of other sweeteners)
• 1/4 cup of oil
• Spices of choice
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour

Directions:

1. Blend the first five ingredients, working up to high, for 2-3 minutes, or until very smooth.
2. Pour contents into a large mixing bowl. With a whisk or large fork, quickly stir in baking powder. 
3. Using a spatula or a large, flat spoon, stir in enough flour to make a cake batter.
4. Oil and flour a baking pan. Pour in batter, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. Let cool thoroughly before serving or storing.
6. Enjoy!