Blueberry-Lemon Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Glaze

The soft texture of the glaze limits this bread's portability -- you'll want to eat it with a fork to enjoy its tart sweetness.

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 bananas)
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
Cooking spray

Glaze:
1 /4 cup (2 ounces) block-style 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. To prepare the banana bread, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk to combine.

3. Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until mixture is well blended (about 1 minute). Add mashed banana, egg substitute, sour cream, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Gently fold in blueberries and lemon rind. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool the bread 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove the bread from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

4. To prepare glaze, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and water, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over cooled bread. Yield: 1 loaf, 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice).

Calories: 176 (24% from fat); Fat 4.6g (sat 2.7g, mono 1.1g, poly 0.2g); Protein 3.2g; Carb 31.3g; Fiber 1.1g; Chol 13mg; Iron 1mg; Sodium 194mg; Calc 19mg

"Banana Appeal"
Article by Jean Patterson
Copyright 2003 by Cooking Light
Originally published in Cooking Light, September 2003