Healthy Eating: Banana Snack Cake

Every now and then I get a craving for banana bread. Growing up my mom made banana bread all the time because my dad loved it. I remember waiting in the kitchen for those perfect golden loaves to come out of the oven. The suspense of having to wait for the bread to cool was almost unbearable as the house filled with the heady aroma of baking bananas and cinnamon. And then, finally, I was able to have a slice and the soft, warm treat was amazing and always gone too quickly.

Now, as an adult, I still want the nostalgic taste of my mom’s banana bread, but with a little less sugar and a lot less oil. Finally, I think I found a recipe that doesn’t sacrifice the taste but is still a much better for you version of classic banana bread. Thus I am calling this banana snack cake because it is perfect for a quick snack or an addition to your breakfast plate.




Banana Snack Cake




Servings: 8





4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/4 c. loosely packed light brown sugar
1/4 c. 2% milk (I’m sure skim or whole would work well too or sub. a nut milk or yogurt)
1 large egg
2 ripe bananas (mashed)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4. tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice*


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly coat two mini loaf pans (or one normal size pan – just know the bread won’t rise a bunch) with nonstick cooking spray of your choice.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and light brown sugar. Once combined, stir in the milk, bananas, egg, and vanilla extract. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix them with a large spoon until just combined. Pour the batter into the two mini loaf pans. Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Cool in the pans approx. 20 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. Let cool completely before cutting. 

Calories: Approx. 150 per serving

*I like pumpkin pie spice for a little extra zip, but if you don’t have than on hand cinnamon works just as well.

Enjoy! And as always, let me know if you make the recipe – I’d love to know what you think.