Banana Muffins

Banana Muffins

This recipe is another one of my mom’s that I remember from when I was little.  She used to make the most delicious Banana Coconut Tea Bread that she would serve when friends would come for an afternoon visit.  Traditionally, her recipe is made with toasted coconut and coarsely chopped walnuts and is lovely sliced.  Just for fun, I decided to break out of the mold a bit and play around with a few different flavor combinations.  I also shortened  the bake time by making muffins.

INGREDIENTS:

(makes 1 loaf or 12x muffins)

Here is the banana batter base:

• 1/3 cup butter, unsalted at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, large
• 3 Tbs milk, whole
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups flour, all-purpose
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (Tip: I place peel-on bananas in a ziplock bag in the freezer when they have gotten perfectly ripe.  They will be preserved in time until you are ready for them!)

Now have some fun:

“Banana Bar”- Toasted Coconut, Chopped Walnuts, Mini Peanut Butter Cups, Candied Ginger

• 1 cup toasted coconut + 1 cup chopped walnuts (traditional)

or

• 1 cup mini reese’s pieces peanut butter cups

or

• 1 cup candied ginger, chopped + 1 cup chopped walnuts

or

• 1/2 cup peanut butter + 1 cup chocolate chips

PREPARATION:

• Preheat oven to 350F
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Stir in milk, lemon juice and almond extract.
• Combine dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• With mixer on low, slowly incorporate dry ingredients.  Do not over mix.
• Stir in bananas.  Fold in desired filling.

Let’s get the Banana Muffin party started

• If making muffins, use paper liners.  If making a loaf, grease the pan.
• Bake muffins approx 25 minutes.  Bake the loaf approx. 55 minutes.
• Pull from oven and allow to cool before turning out on rack to finish cooling.

What’s your favorite?

What is your favorite flavor combination to pair with banana???  Always excited for new ideas…