banana bread/cake

so i got a new stand mixer for christmas!! and i am loving it.. originally pete bought me the 4.5 qt. kitchen aide in white and i didn't think it would go with my kitchen and wasn't going to be big enough so we took it back and ended up getting the 5.5 qt. kenmore.. and i love it.. i've been using it like crazy.. it sure would have come in handy when doing my holiday baking believe you me.. on christmas morning when i opened it i exclaimed "holy sh*t" ha and my kids won't let me live it down.. i wasn't expecting it i had already gotten so many kitchen things already from pete i wasn't expecting the one thing i really really wanted but didn't actually add to my list! so i was very pleasantly surprised.. one thing i've made every weekend since christmas is the skinny taste's banana bread.. we love it..and it works out well in the morning with all our busy schedules!

prep time: 15 minutes

cooking time: 50-60 minutes

ingredients:

7 ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce

2.5 cups of ap flour

1.5 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

4 tblsp. butter, room temp.

1 cup light brown sugar

4 large eggs whites

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 oz. walnuts, chopped (optional and i opt out and don't use them)

pam baking spray

preheat oven to 325 degrees (f), spray 2 loaf pans with cooking spray.. in a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk.. set aside.  in a large mixing bowl cream butter and brown sugar with electric mixer (i used my stand mixer).. add egg whites, bananas, apple sauce and vanilla and beat on medium until thick.. scrape sides of the bowl down.. add flour mixture and nuts, if using,  and blend on low until combined.. (i actually added my flour gradually so as to not make a huge mess) don't over mix.  pour batter into loaf pans and bake on the center rack for 50-60 minutes or until tooth pick inserted comes out clean.. let cool for about 20 minutes before slicing.. for the "cake" picture on top i poured it into a greased casserole dish and cooked for exactly 60 minutes and it came out firmer and more cake like.. but either way it's awesome!!