The days have been full with form drawing, reading, spending time outside and at the beach, baking, and eating! I have been making a lot of fruity quick bread recipes, which I bake in my square 8 x 8 cake pan for a healthy snack cake. It is such a satisfying treat after swimming and spending time outside. Heavy enough to fill you up with the whole grain goodness, yet light enough with all of the wholesome fruit. (Autumn also made the Carrot Cake recipe from my book one night and the girls had a party with their stuffed animals. It was so cute!)

I made a variation on the Oil-Free Naturally-Sweetened Raspberry Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe, adding lemon zest and juice in with the raspberries and omitting the chocolate chips. The combination was great, and I made that a few times before trying it again with blueberries.

Both versions are delicious, whether you choose to use raspberries or blueberries (or a combination of both). The blueberries make for a sweeter cake, while the raspberries add some tang (which I like). The cake is made using just 1/4 cup of maple syrup, with the rest of the sweetness coming from mashed bananas.

Lemon Blueberry Snack Cake

Makes one 8 x 8 cake

Ingredients

• 4 large over ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• zest of one lemon (2 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest)
• juice of one lemon (2 tablespoons lemon juice)
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup quick oats
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 1/2 cups blueberries (or raspberries)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Mash the four large bananas in a medium mixing bowl until free of any lumps.
3. Add the applesauce, almond milk, vanilla, maple syrup, lemon zest and juice, and whisk to combine.
4. In a separate, small mixing bowl combine the flour, oats, baking powder, and sea salt.
5. Add the dry ingredients along to the wet ingredients in the medium mixing bowl and as you are mixing, gently fold in the blueberries (or raspberries), taking care not to over mix the batter.
6. Pour into a non-stick, (or lightly greased) 8 x 8 cake pan.
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until lightly golden. Cake is ready when a knife or toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan and slicing.

These days have been simply heavenly.

Life is beautiful! I am grateful! 🙂