Very Little Sugar: Pineapple/Banana Up-side Down Cake

I have never heard of a banana up-side down cake, have you?

When I ran across this recipe and noticed that there was very little sugar in it, I knew that I just had to make it.

I found this recipe through Debz Delicious Meals. She has some great stuff over there, and she is trying to acknowledge diabetics. Kind of like what I'm doing, but I think we just demand way too much sugar (sodas, energy drinks, sweet treats, etc.....). There is no reason why we have to fill our bodies with that much sugar.

My biggest task right now is counting calories....and cutting the sugar helps.

I get to do a product test today while I bring you a recipe. How cool is that? Two posts in one.

I don't know, maybe I should charge for this one?? What do you think? Double work, double information, double time.....just kidding!! I would never do that to my faithful readers.

But anyway, the new product I found is Domino Light sugar. An all natural light sugar/stevia blend.

I have used the Splenda blend before and didn't really care for it. It always left an after-taste, or changed the taste of my baked goods all together. I don't notice an after-taste with the Domino blend. And the flavors in this cake were not messed with either.

Another product in the picture that I love to use is, SACO cultured buttermilk blend. It is in a powdered form which makes it easy to add buttermilk to your recipes. All you do is mix it with water. But in this recipe I mixed it with pineapple juice. This product can be found in the bakery isle of the grocery store.

Debz recipe called for just bananas. I deleted a banana and added some pineapple. I love the little cups of fruit naturals that Del Monte offers. It's just like eating fresh fruit.

Right out of the oven.

One thing that I found out about this cake. It is best when you eat it warm. So if you plan on making this cake, make sure you serve it to a big enough crowd that it all gets eaten. It doesn't carry left-overs very well. And I think it would be amazing with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top (sugar-free, that is).

Pineapple/Banana Up-side Down Cake

1/4 c. Domino light sugar blend

1 TBS water

2 TBS butter

1 large banana, sliced

2 (7 oz.) Del Monte fruit naturals, pineapple chunks, drained (save the juice)

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. Domino light sugar blend

1/4 c. (a little less) canola oil

1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce

2 egg whites

1 egg

For the buttermilk ~ 1/2 c. pineapple juice from fruit cups and 2 TBS SACO cultured buttermilk blend

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine sugar and water in small saucepan. Heat over medium/high heat stirring constantly, until mixture is amber in color (I don't think I cooked mine long enough. It didn't turn amber color). Stir in butter. Immediately pour into an 8 inch baking pan. Arrange banana and pineapple in sugar mixture. Set aside.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Beat sugar blend, oil and applesauce in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed 1 minute. Beat in egg whites and egg 1 at a time until blended. Beat in buttermilk and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture; beat 1 minute or until blended. Pour batter over fruit in baking pan.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan and then invert onto serving platter (I ran a butter knife around the edges before inverting). Cool slightly and then cut and serve.