{Skinny} Honey Banana Coffee Cake: This coffee cake has no oil or butter in it, but packed with tons of honey and banana flavor! Eat cake for breakfast.
Recently, I bought Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred workout DVD. I must have been going through some sort of mental crisis, because I actually thought it had the potential to be fun. And maybe, just maybe, it would convert me into being a morning workout person.
The workout’s only 20 minutes. That’s half a Gilmore episode. A whole Friends episode. It should be a piece of cake.
Ha.
Yeah, nope.
All it makes me want to do is eat cake.
Like clockwork, I set my alarm for o-dark-hundred each night with every good intention of dragging myself out of bed to finish 20-minutes of pure pain, and every morning (except for like three) I’ve either slept through my obnoxious alarm or have spent so long deciding if I really, actually, maybe, kind of want to get up that I actually do have to get up for work and have conveniently missed out on having to do so many push-ups that I actually want to die.
You see, the workout was fine until I actually did it. And I’m only on level one.
I realized that when it comes to the morning, all I really want to do is wake up, have my morning cup of coffee, and sip it while eating this coffee cake or something of the like.
I want to crunch on food not crunch my abs.
But, hey, if you’re going to skip your morning workout, it might as well be for a coffee cake that has no oil or butter in it! Applesauce and bananas take the place of the heavy stuff, and plus, some of the added sugar in this is replaced with honey! All the exclamations for that.
Of course, because I just can’t help myself, I topped it with a butter and brown sugar crumble, but really, when measured out, it’s only like .000245 calories per giant slice. Totally accurate.
But in all honesty, without the butter or oil in the actual cake itself, the coffee cake is much lighter than the original version. Bananas, honey, applesauce (with no added sugar)–all the makings of a nutritious breakfast.
- 3 medium bananas
- 1/2 cup applesauce
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 cups flour
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 8 oz Greek Yogurt
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp butter
- orange zest optional
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x9 square baking pan.
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In a large bowl, mash bananas until only a few lumps remain. Add in applesauce and honey. Stir until combined.
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Add in sugar; mix. Slowly mix in eggs, 1 at a time.
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In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
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Mix together Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, and milk.
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Alternatively mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients into the banana mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
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Once combined, pour mixture into baking pan and bake for 45-55 minutes.
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While the coffee cake is baking, combine cinnamon, flour, brown sugar, and orange zest. Cut in butter and mix until the topping looks like coarse crumbs.
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At the 10 minute mark, pull the coffee cake out and sprinkle the topping as evenly as possible over the cake. Return to the oven and continue baking for 35-45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
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If desired sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy! Cake can be eaten warm, cold, or at room temperature.
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Chrissy says
Your time frame of references are hilarious and it’s for that reason that I think that if we met in person we’d be good friends (is that a creepy thought to have? I promise I’m not creepy). Cake for breakfast is always a good idea, especially if you have already worked out. Treat yo self.
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
With cake like this, who needs exercise??
June @ How to Philosophize with Cake says
That looks scrumptious! Love how healthy it is. Streusel cake is the best 🙂
Izzy says
I have that workout video and it is not easy at all! I’m always so sore after I do it, especially if been a while! I would happily do it every morning if it meant I could eat a big slice of this afterward! I love banana baked goods 🙂
Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg says
Keep up the hard work! I usually run outside or on a treadmill, but I’m trying out yoga too. This banana coffee cake looks wonderful. 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
This cake looks stunning, Michelle! I love that it’s skinny and flavored with honey and banana. I think I would devour the entire pan, it just sounds SO good!
Sarah @Whole and Heavenly Oven says
“I want to crunch on food, not my abs.” = Story of my LIFE. Seriously love it! LOL. I totally get what you mean though, because JM workouts are intense! I only lasted two weeks doing her workouts I’m ashamed to say. haha! But this coffee cake?? I’m obsessed! Lovin’ the combo of honey and bananas and my gosh, all that streusel!
Mary Frances says
“I want to crunch on food, not my abs” -> Perrreach it girl! Ha yeah, that’s how I feel about workouts too. ‘This looks so good!’ Uh yeah no, more like the most miserable thing ever. Give me all the cake, especially when bananas and crumble are involved!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
Working out can be awesome when you’re really feeling it that day, but if you’re not, it can really be a trial. I’ve been close to tears on the treadmill a few times, not because I’m out of shape at all, but because it’s such a mental block when you’re unmotivated. Keeping rewards in mind is such a good push to workout, especially like this coffee cake, which looks awesome. Pinning 🙂
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
This cake looks amazing, Michelle! I’m always game when it comes to cake for breakfast! The crumb coating looks perfect and I love the honey and banana combo!
Lorelai @ Life With Lorelai says
YUM’d! This looks delicious. Please come share your blog posts over at the Home Matters Linky Party! We’d love to have you for a visit. The Door is OPEN. http://lifewithlorelai.com/2015/05/28/home-matters-linky-party-39/ 🙂
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
Annie @ Annie's Noms says
Crunching on food rather than abs in the morning sounds like my kind of morning too! I’ve been trying HIIT recently and I just want to die half way through. Like you say, hard workouts like that just make you want to eat cake! This cake precisely, it looks delicious!
Breeann says
This cake was SO YUMMY! I did not have a 9X9 pan to bake it in, so I went with a 9X11 glass dish. I don’t know if it was because I used glass, but I had to bake it for about an hour after putting the crumb topping on for it to be (mostly) done. Also, it was very close to overflowing. I will be making this again for sure!!
Jen B says
I tried making cupcakes out of this recipe, and a few notes:
1. DO NOT use paper cupcake liners!!!! The cake will stick to them terribly! Also, cut cooking time since they are small. I slightly overcooked which was likely part of the problem, but I salvaged them by scooping the “meat” out with a spoon! Still delicious!
2. There was so much batter! I made 24 cupcakes AND a loaf pan cake out of this recipe! Loaf pan cake was true to time.
Mary says
I put this cake in a 9×13 pan. It would have overflowed in a smaller pan. It was delicious but prep time was much longer than 20 min. and it took 4 mixing bowls:(
Caroline says
I tried this today and was pleased with the results. I did, however, make a some tweaks.
1) No applesauce on hand so I made a quick batch, so extra points for no preservatives
2) TBH, I was a little aghast at the amount of additional sugar listed so I cut it by only using 1/2 C. That + the honey definitely made it sweet enough.
3) No yogurt on hand, so used sour cream.
4) Added chopped walnuts
5) No crumb topping (further effort to be healthier)
I suppose with these tweaks it makes it closer to banana bread. The cake felt dense, but the texture came out nicely bouncy and it tastes great. Will definitely make this recipe again! Thanks!