Banana Snack Cake

With, how to use over-ripe bananas and make something sugar-free for my honey, as the question…this is the answer. It’s a healthy, sugar-free, low-calorie, moist, flavorful banana snack cake. Yes, my husband chooses not to eat sugar. You might be wondering how a sugaraholic/chocoholic gal and a sugar-free guy are married and work things out? Well, things are pretty good, we have it worked out and it will be 30 years in April. I eat as much sugary/chocolatey sweets as he eats tortilla chips…it’s magical!

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener
2 eggs
1¾-2 cups mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup wheat flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut (it is sweetened, a tiny cheat)
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°. In large bowl with electric mixer, cream butter, applesauce, and Equal. Mix in eggs, mashed banana, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add flour, wheat flour, oats, baking soda, and salt; mix just until combined. Fold in coconut and chopped nuts. Pour cake batter into sprayed 9″x13″ baking pan. Bake 25-30 minutes. Cool. Cut into 20 servings, approx 180 calories per serving. It is a very moist, flavorful, healthy cake!

The I don’t care about healthy, no sugar and calories version:
*Omit applesauce and add 1 cup butter total
*Replace Splenda with sugar
*Omit wheat flour and add 2 cups all-purpose flour total
*Add 1 cup chocolate chips
*Frost with Buttercream or Cream Cheese Frosting
*Please don’t be fooled that making these changes keeps the calorie count per serving at 180. ;o)

One Year Ago: Dark Chocolate Heaven Cake

Two Years Ago: Caramel Filled Peanut Butter Brownies

Three Years Ago: Quick Dinner Muffins

 

Advertisement

Skinny Chocolate Fudge Muffins

Let’s switch things up and go for something low fat, low sugar, and low calorie…but tastes very good!  This is my version of a recipe I found on a few different websites (weightwatchers.com too) saying it is a knock off of a muffin at Whole Foods.  I made them with low expectations but they are really good!  They are not the prettiest looking muffins, but when you consider the calorie savings, who cares.

1¾ cup old fashioned oats
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sugar substitute (like Splenda or Equal)
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
3 egg whites
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup light sour cream (can use low fat yogurt)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate, can use other flavor chips)
chopped walnuts & mini chocolate chips for topping, optional

Preheat oven to 350°.  Spray 12 cup muffins pan with non-stick spray or use Demarle muffin tray (no spray needed).  Process oats in food processor or blender until oats are well ground.  In large bowl, mix oats, cocoa, sugar substitute, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.  In medium bowl, whisk together egg whites, applesauce, sour cream, vanilla, and hot water.  Add to dry ingredients and mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Evenly scoop batter into muffin cups.  Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven (leave oven on) and sprinkle with chopped walnuts and mini chocolate chips and return to oven and bake another 3-5 minutes until center top of muffins are done.  Cool in tray for about 10 minutes then continue cooling on wire rack.

One Year Ago Today:  Malted Milk Ball Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you are interested in Demarle bakeware such as the Muffin Tray and Perforated Sheet please visit mydemarleathome.com/kristenparker or simply click on the Demarle at Home logo below.