There’s a million banana bread recipes you can find online most of which use margarine, butter or vegetable oil. If you aren’t yet aware, there’s a substitute that’s much lower in calories. And that, my friends… is APPLESAUCE.
This is my second time posting up a banana loaf recipe. After reading Lisa’s blog, I was inspired to bake a banana loaf recipe filled with summer berries! What better way to take advantage of our very own B.C. berries on sale? Laura, Lisa and Jamie have just launched a new monthly blogging event called Twelve Loaves! 12 Loaves for every month of the year. Yum!
Substituting butter / vegetable oil with applesauce significantly reduces the calories in baking.
1 cup of butter – approx. 1600 calories, 184g fat
1 cup of unsweetened applesauce – only 100 calories, 0.1g fat!!!
So although without a shadow of a doubt, butter and vegetable oil will taste better, you’d be saving massive calories by substituting applesauce! I’m also submitting this recipe to Aspiring Bakers #22: Lightened Up Cakes (August 2012) hosted by Qi Ting of A Dessert Diet.
A friend of mine had encountered issues with her banana bread and asked why hers always turned out rubbery. I’ve also once had this problem before! So I’d like to include some troubleshooting in the instructions on making quick bread. This will ensure that yours would always come out moist and fluffy!I decided on this recipe with changes after some experimentation.
Applesauce Banana Loaf
Makes 1 9x5 loaves or 2 mini loaves (I made 2 loaves) From cooks.com
- 3 ripe bananas
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg + 2 egg whites
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup blueberries or
- 1/2 cup strawberries (alternatively you can also use chocolate chips! I’ve made it with chocolate chips and it was yummy!)
- Mash the bananas with an electric mixer for about 30 seconds – 1 minute. I like to leave some chunks of bananas instead of puréeing it. Stir in the sugar and let stand for 15 minutes.
- Beat egg and egg whites on high speed until fluffy. Add in vanilla, applesauce and banana mixture.
- Sieve together baking soda, baking powder and flour, and gradually add into the wet mixture. Stir with a spatula and mix until it all comes together. It is very important NOT to over-mix as this will guarantee a banana bread with rubbery texture. Finally stir in the blueberries / strawberries. I spread most of mine on the top and only stirred some into the batter.
- Pour into a loaf pan that has been coated with non-stick spray. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Cling wrap after the loaf has cooled down. Banana loaves always taste better the next day since they never taste as sweet fresh from the oven!
Hope you guys enjoyed this recipe!
And now… It’s time to make some SAMWICHES from the banana bread!! After all, there’s a reason why my blog’s tagline is “From Samwiches to Samosas”! haha.. My favourite fillings are nutella, jam, peanut butter, and how about some more sliced bananas in your banana bread? 🙂
Banana bread are so yummy you can even turn them into french toasts or muffins!
And now you don’t have to feel so guilty about eating them!
Last year I made some cute banana muffins too!! tee hee..
Tee hee… Your turn to try the applesauce!! Seriously, look how fluffy they are!
Sweet Samsations 
I’m so glad you joined in, Sammie! May I just say..WOW!?! Not only is that a beautiful banana loaf with the berries (and applesauce!), but the little muffins you made with the cookie faces and decors are so adorable! You’ve got some mad skills, my friend! Gorgeous photos also! Don’t forget to link up the bread on one of our blogs (the linky on my blog is right above the strawberry malted loaf recipe) !! Now I’m off to tweet and pin you 🙂
Just had one of these and they were delicious! Definitely a recipe to try out. Keep up the great work, Sammie!
Hey Sammie! your banana bread looks DELICIOUS!! especially loving the berries! makes it look nice and colourful and fresh =D good idea using applesauce~~ its not that popular in Australia I don’t think… but YUMMY =D
Soooo cute! I missed those monkeys before but seriously how adorable are those guys! Your mini banana loaves look so sweet and they’re bursting with beautiful berries and lovely colour, definitely delish! 😉
Wow this looks super delicious as the butter one my friend, gorgeous!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I love the idea of using the banana bread for sandwiches – what a great twist on an old classic!
So many delicious ideas 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
This banana bread looks delicious, I have been adding apple sauce to my breads as well, but never baked without any fat…so I will need to try this recipe as it looks great.
Thanks for the recipe and hope you are having a wonderful week Sammie 🙂
I love using applesauce in place of or to cut down the butter in baking. Such a great way to cut calories.
Your bread looks fantastic and the sandwiches are such a great idea! Yum!
All of the treats look delicious. I like how you placed the whole fruit right on top of the banana bread!
Ahhh, love that this banana bread is low cal. Applesauce is magical!! Looks decadent and those berries are so beautiful!
Looks so moist and delicious. A great way to start the morning.
They do look very moist with the applesauce. Delicious! And the berries are a nice addition.
my mouth is watering!
Great baking tips. Apple sauce difinitely makes the bread moist. Love the addition of berries.
Oh-love it all! I want a sample of that gorgeous bread with all the wonderful berries. Your muffins are really fun and fabulous! I am thrilled you joined us this month for #TwelveLoaves. :)xx
Wow Sam this is the best banan bread Ive ever seen!
Yes! I love substituting applesauce for butter/oil in baked goods – you really can’t tell much of a difference, + it makes the recipes SO much healthier. your banana bread sandwiches look delicious, by the way – what a clever idea!
I always substitute butter with apple sauce in all of my quick breads 🙂 They are so forgiving – and I can’t tell the differences. Nice job Sammie!
What a great lightened up banana bread! I love subbing in applesauce in the rare occasions when I bake – plus those berries take them over the top.
OK, I’m SOLD! Wow, it looks so perfect and moist…I don’t think I’d miss the butter at all. Thanks for sharing~
Wow,
All the food looks incredible! Your presentation is stunning!
This looks SO good Sammie! 😀 It’s coming up to spring and I need all the lightening I can get 😉
I love this! I have some apple butter that needs using up 🙂
You made me smile when I saw this one, this is my type of dish and can eat it everyday.
A beautiful loaf. And loaded with fruit! How wonderful that I can probably have TWO slices, without a twinge of guilt. 😉
Just look at all the amazing fruit. it’s definitely making my mouth water a lot! :). Wonderful post
Looks fabulous Sam! I know about substituting with applesauce but I’ve always been too nervous to try! I’ll have to do it now. Is it just the same amount of applesauce for the butter? I’ve always wondered how this works…they are two very different ingredients!
Your banana bread looks so amazing. I love the idea of substituting applesauce for butter or oil. The berries on these are just the most perfect addition!! YUM.
I used to always substitute applesauce for butter and oil but for some reason stopped…I really should start doing it again. These loaves look amazing!
What a gorgeous loaf of bread! I love how you styled it with the fresh fruit on top. So very pretty, my friend! And of course, I loved the tip about subbing applesauce for oil/butter. A great way to cut back fat and add flavor! Thank you for sharing!!
Such a great idea- I’ve never had banana bread with berries! And I like the applesauce substitution- it’s a great way to cut out some calories and fat. Beautiful pictures- yum!
Sammie; Amazing!!! Banana bread is the first thing I ever learned how to bake. I was 9. That’s still my favorite recipe, and, yes, it calls for lotsa butter. Loving the applesauce substitute. Loving the berries even more!!
I was talking to my neighbor today and she told me she put applesauce in her banana bread! I made banana bread this morning so that’s why we were having banana bread conversation. 🙂 Your banana bread with blueberries… that photo is killing me! I love it. Looks SO SO SO good!
This is a way healthier alternative to butter. Hmm..I should really make the substitute now.
This looks fantastic. I love banana bread so much
A million recipe or otherwise, I am sure yours looks and tastes better! 🙂
I made this bread this morning, but doubled the recipe. It came out fantastic and moist. Will make it again. I’m sure you could use apple sauce instead, but maybe add another 1/4 c. of flour, since the applesauce isn’t as thick as the apple butter. 5 stars!
Awesome! Thanks dear! I actually tried adding flour but I preferred it without the extra flour as I thought it was a little dry! haha.. I’m very glad you liked this recipe!! 🙂
Thank you Kiran!! So sweet of you! 🙂
Thanks!! me too! Can’t get enough of it! It’s probably the thing I bake the most! haha
Thanks Nami!! I think berries always make everything look infinitely better! lol! 😀
haha yeah! It’s the good ol’ classic! Will never get tired of it. hehe. And yeah the berries are a substitute for my more guilty-feeling chocolate chips! 😀
Thanks Sonali!! Plus the applesauce adds a subtle natural sweetness too!
Thanks Monet! 🙂
Thank you Joanne! Yeah, definitely tastes different but a huge cut back on calories!
Thank you!
I am really loving the theme/design of your site. Do you ever run into
any browser compatibility issues? A few of my blog audience
have complained about my blog not working correctly in Explorer but looks great in Firefox.
Do you have any solutions to help fix this issue?
I’ve made this banana bread twice and both times they turned out delicious! Love how this bread is not only healthy but soo tasty. Thank you for the recipe!!
That’s wonderful to hear! I’m glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Sounds delish ! Can the white flour be substituted with whole wheat flour? Or use half and half?
Sure! Why not? 🙂