Healthy Flourless Lemon-Blueberry Cake

This moist, incredibly easy lemon cake is made with oats and studded with blueberries. Each bite delivers a magical of balance of sweet and tart, and it's flourless to boot. Want a gluten-free, vegan cake? I've got you covered.

Thanks to the food processor, the cake batter comes together in just a few minutes. This fresh, zesty lemon cake with pops of blueberry is an excellent breakfast option, but it also makes a great dessert and guilt-free snack any time of day.

How many lemons will you need? Probably 2. I say probably, because some lemons are huge, while others are the size of limes. I found two medium-sized lemons and got exactly what I needed for this recipe - 1/4 cup juice and 1 tablespoon zest. Remember to zest the lemons before you halve and squeeze them! It's much easier and you'll get more zest...

Want a dairy-free and/or vegan cake? No problem. To make the cake dairy-free, substitute a dairy-free yogurt for the Greek yogurt. Great choices include those made with soy, coconut milk and almond milk.  For a vegan cake (no dairy OR eggs), create flax eggs: For one flax egg, combine 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal or ground raw flaxseeds and 2 1/2 tablespoons water; let the mixture sit for 5 minutes before using. Remember, this recipe uses 2 eggs.

Why add the coconut oil last? Because some of the ingredients are cold (assuming you keep your yogurt and eggs in the fridge). The melted coconut oil will solidify as soon as it hits those cold ingredients and the batter will be clumpy. While that's not the end of the world, adding the oil after everything is blended prevents that from happening.

Why keep the frozen blueberries frozen until ready to use? Because it prevents the berries from discoloring the entire batter. If you want a purple cake, thaw them first (and reduce the cooking time by about 5 minutes). I don't suggest that - the yellow version is prettier.

Healthy Flourless Lemon-Blueberry Cake

Cooking spray
2 cups rolled oats, regular or quick-cooking
1/2 cup coconut sugar or granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (or dairy-free yogurt)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs (or 2 flax eggs - see note above)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1 cup frozen blueberries, keep frozen until ready to use

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch cake pan with cooking spray.
Place the oats in a food processor and process until finely ground. Add the sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt. Process until blended
Add the yogurt, lemon juice, eggs, and vanilla and process until blended. Add the melted coconut oil and process until blended. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and fold in the blueberries.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth surface. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist bits clinging to it.
Cool the cake, in the pan, on a wire rack.
Cut into 12 to 16 squares and serve warm or room temperature.
Store leftovers in an airtight container.

Makes 1 8-inch cake, 12-16 servings