Chocolate-Banana Cake with Walnuts (Self)

Chocolate-Banana Cake With Walnuts
From the October 2004 Issue


Healthy bonus: 1/2 serving of fruit per slice, potassium from bananas, iron from walnuts
Serves 16

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate-banana cake
* 1 cup whole-wheat flour
* 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 4 large overly ripe bananas, mashed
* 1/2 tablespoons plain lowfat yogurt
* 2 egg whites
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
* Vegetable-oil cooking spray

Frosting
* 1 cup lowfat milk
* 3/4 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

PREPARATION

For cake
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine flours, Splenda, cocoa, and baking soda. Add bananas, yogurt, egg whites, vanilla, and 1/2 cup walnuts. Stir. Coat a 9" x 13" cake pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into pan, spreading evenly. Bake about 35 minutes. Cool.


For frosting
Raise oven to 375°F. Toast remaining 1/4 cup walnuts 6 minutes. To make frosting, pour 1/4 cup milk into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in Splenda, cocoa, and cornstarch. Slowly add remaining 3/4 cup milk and bring to a low boil, stirring continuously until thick. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Cool and spread over cake. Sprinkle walnuts over cake.

The skinny

203 calories per serving, 5.4 g fat (1.3 g saturated), 26.1 g carbs, 3.8 g fiber, 5.9 g protein