Banana Bread with Maple-Cinnamon Applesauce

Recently, my home is filled with big bunch of bananas … so I simply add some ripe bananas to bake banana breads or muffins. Although we love the moist and dense banana breads, one thing for sure I have to reduce the butter & sugar intake … for health reason.  I’m sure if you have ever baked banana breads (non yeast), you’ll know how to “mix and match” the ingredients like the types of nuts, substitute raisins with chocolate chips etc etc. Mash or chop your bananas in chunks, add some toasted coarsely chopped walnuts/ almonds and a pinch of ground cinnamon … would definitely make a loaf of aromatic and delicious banana bread.

Two weeks ago, I was happy to find an easy to bake recipe shared here,  But I am also very happy to find another recipe that doesn’t require butter or oil to give the moist and dense in the banana breads.  Glad to learn that "Applesauce offers the same consistency as butter or oil, but with zero fat, a little extra natural sweetness, and fewer calories ..."  Since I’d made some easy maple cinnamon applesauce, it came timely to bake this lighter version of nutty banana bread with a hint of cinnamon applesauce fragrance. No guilt to have a few slices at one go :) 

Recipe source :
News Health - Baking without butter or oil
Yields: 1 small loaf (I used a heatproof paper pound cake mould 7.5cm x 17.8cm x 5cm)
Ingredients A:
126g all purpose plain flour (sifted)
50g caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Ingredients B:
60g cinnamon applesauce (I used homemade maple syrup sweeten applesauce *see recipe below)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 large ripe banana
60g chopped nuts (a mixture of walnuts & almonds, light toasted)

Method:
1) Position the rack in the middle and preheat oven to 180°C, spray loaf pan with cooking spray or lightly grease with low fat spread.

2) Lightly toast the nuts and set aside, chopped coarsely.

3) Mash the ripe banana with a fork, set aside.

4) In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients A.  Add in the ingredients B to A and mix with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until well combined. Do not over mix the batter.

5) Pour batter into greased loaf pan and bake for 35 mins – 40 mins. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake if it comes out clean.

6) Let cool in pan for 5 mins and then cool bread on cooling rack.



To make the *Maple-Cinnamon Applesauce (recipe adapted from the cookbook EatingWell Fast & Flavorful Meatless Meals by Jessie Price & the EatingWell Test Kitchen) with my slight modification in blue.

Ingredients :
6 Mclntosh or other tart apples, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Golden Delicious or other sweet apples, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
(I used a mixture of Gala & Granny Smith apples)
60ml water
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method:
Fill the large saucepan with water and all the apples.
Cook in medium heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer.
Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the apples are very soft, about 25 minutes.
Mash the apples to the desired consistency and stir in maple syrup and cinnamon.
Cool, store in air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.

Soft and nutty texture with a hint a cinnamon maple fragrance! 

Enjoy & Happy Baking !