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Monday 30 May 2011

Weight Watchers Banana Bread

Let us call a cake a cake. Banana 'bread' is cake. It is unashamedly cake. It's not even straddling the fence between cake and bread like say Brioche or Stollen. It is a cake. Someone suggested that perhaps it's called bread because it is baked in a loaf tin. But the problem with that argument is that so many other cakes are baked in loaf tins. Most of the pound cake family is baked in loaf tins and we don't go round calling them bread willy nilly.


You might be wondering why I'm so hung up on whether it is called banana 'bread' or 'cake'. What's in a name eh? I'll tell you. You call something 'bread' and in my opinion, that means it is fine to eat several slices of it for breakfast. I mean, I've only just come to accept that despite the fact that muffins are called 'muffins' instead of 'cake', there ain't no hiding the fact that they're fatty cake fully of chocolate chips and toffee and banana and all sorts of other calorific goodness naughty stuff and hence, I should avoid them for breakfast. 


Which is why I love this recipe. While it is called a bread, it is actually a cake. It doesn't taste diet-y even though it only contains about half the butter and sugar of this other recipe, it is easy to make and a great way to get rid of very ripe old bananas and best of all, I can eat a slice or two for breakfast!


Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers UK


Propoints per slice - 5
Makes 12 slices


Ingredients
5 sprays cooking spray, calorie controlled
200g self raising flour
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
75g butter, softened
75g dark brown sugar
1 level tablespoon honey
2 eggs, beaten
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
100g sultanas
1 tsp vanilla


 - Spray a 450g loaf tin with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/180C/350F
 - Combine the flour and bicarbonate of soda
 - Cream the butter for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for another 2 minutes. 
Add the honey and beat for 1 more minute 
 - Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for 2 more minutes
 - Fold in the flour until combined. (Do not beat)
 - Fold in the mashed bananas and sultanas. 
 - Spoon into the tin
Bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour until a skewer inserted comes out clean. (Check after 45 minutes and using your judgment, every 5 or 10 minutes thereafter)
 - Turn out and cool on a rack
Note
Very ripe bananas are best for all banana breads as they have a natural sweetness and mash easily


10 comments:

Adura O. said...

I like that it's half the butter and the sugar! ;p

Anonymous said...

Looks delicious as always!

N.I.L (Naijamum in London) said...

A healthy indulgence, naughty but nice....I'm liking the paradox

Thanks for this, it looks delicious.

In your opinion, is it still moist? I'm asking because some reduced fat cakes/ breads do taste a bit dry.

Myne said...

I assumed it was Banana bread cos it's a bit drier than most cakes. Oh well...I may try this recipe out.

Unknown said...

@ Adura - I like that too :)

@ Anon - Thank you very much!

@Naijamum - Honestly, if I didn't know it was reduced fat and sugar, I would have thought it was normal banana bread. Just as moist. Only thing is after the first day, I'd warm slightly in the microwave before eating

@Myne - On the contrary, banana bread is actually more moist than a lot of cakes because of the addition of the banana. Let me know if you try it out, I'd be interested to know what you think :)

Unknown said...

I'm always looking for healthier recipes to try, this one sounds great!

Tiwa said...

Omg! Yayyyy Yummy! Healthier banana bread! I'm gonna try it this weekend. Maybe I'll use the recipe for cupcakes so I can control my portions better.

Anonymous said...

I just found your blog and I must say, I love ! I will give u this banana bread/cake recipe to try, its A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!
p.s its american instructions

1 1/2 cups very riped bananas, mashed
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
2 1/8 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Preheat Oven to 275
Step 1.) Mash up bananas really good with a fork and mix in lemon juice. Set aside.
Step 2.) In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda & salt. Set aside.
Step 3.) In a large bowl, cream butter & sugar until fluffy.
Step 4.) Add in eggs, one at a time & then add in vanilla
Step 5.) Beat in the flour mixture alternating it with the buttermilk.
Step 6.) Stir in the banana mixture
Step 7.)Pour batter into two greased & floured loaf pans & bake in oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.

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