by Nene Adams

Created on: July 10, 2008

BANANA BLUEBERRY CAKE - A HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVE

Getting children to forgo sweet treats in favor of healthier snacks is a battle that all parents face. However, if you have a few tricks in your arsenal like this cake recipe, you'll find it easy to please your kids while feeling better about what they eat. Banana Blueberry Cake makes a great lunch box addition that will hold up and not fall to pieces.

Even big kids like husbands and teens will really enjoy the deliciously moist cake that contains plenty of oatmeal - 100% natural and high fiber, shown to help lower cholesterol and high blood pressure, aid in the prevention of heart disease, and contains a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Bananas, of course, are rich in vitamin B6 and potassium, while blueberries are designated one of nature's "superfoods" - one of the richest sources of cancer-fighting antioxidants, and according to some studies can also help fight the effects of aging. Besides adding crunch and flavor, walnuts contain essential omega-3 fatty acids - good for heart and brain.

To make the cake even lower in fat, you could substitute up to half of the butter with unsweetened applesauce, however that will affect the cake's texture, making it spongier and less moist. As an alternative recipe, you could omit the blueberries and substitute a cup of carob chips to make a chocolate-banana cake that's out of this world.

BANANA BLUEBERRY CAKE

1/2 cup softened butter
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3 very ripe bananas, mashed to a rough pulp (if you leave some small chunks of whole banana, this will also add delicious pockets of moistness to the cake)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cup oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup walnuts, broken into pieces (optional)

Grease and flour 8" cake pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

Stir together flour, oats, baking powder and salt. In separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract, then stir in banana pulp. Stir dry oatmeal/flour mixture into banana mix, stirring well to combine. Fold in blueberries and walnuts just until combined, taking care not to crush berries, which will turn the batter purple. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out and cooling completely.

Store well-wrapped and will keep for several days. Makes 8 servings (or 6 if you're greedy!)

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