The Secret to Replacing Butter With Banana in Baked Goods

Although some people say that butter makes everything better, it also adds 1,600 calories and 177 grams of fat for every cup. Fats like butter are typically used to add tenderness and moisture to breads, muffins, cakes cookies and other baked goods.

You can easily lighten up some of your recipes by substituting all (or most) of the butter in your recipe with mashed bananas.

Banana isn't usually used as a measure-for-measure replacement. Start by using half as much mashed banana and mixing the batter. If the batter is too dry, add more mashed banana in small amounts until you have the right consistency.

Don't be afraid of trial and error; experimenting is usually the best way to find the right ratio for the recipe. Some baked goods may need to have a tablespoon or two of butter added back into it in order to get the best results.

Bananas are sweeter than butter, so you can usually also use less sugar than the recipe requires. Additionally, since you're eliminating the fat in the recipe, you should also use half the amount of eggs, or replace whole eggs with egg whites to keep your baked goods tender.

Although bananas can be used in a variety of recipes, they're pretty dense and shouldn't be used when you want light, fluffy baked goods, according to registered dietitian Linda Michaelis. Additionally, the flavor typically doesn't pair well with berry flavors or citrus-based recipes. Choose a different low-calorie butter replacement, such as applesauce, for a better result in these instances.