I had only a few bananas that were too ripe. Not enough for bread but I didn’t want to throw them out. I decided that it must be possible to make banana nut muffins and, by doing so, use less bananas. I scoured the web looking for the right recipe. I found one I could make work at The Cookbook Chronicles blog (it’s a good one if you like reading recipe blogs.) I changed up her recipe for muffins only, added whole wheat flour, all brown sugar and nuts. Then I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. They were perfect and popped right out of my buttered muffin tin without my using liners. They were even moist and tender 2 mornings later. My little boy said he gave them “a million thumbs up!” He also thinks they’re best with butter.
Million Thumbs Up White/Wheat Banana Nut Muffins
(adapted from http://www.thecookbookchronicles.com/blog/?p=3212)
1 C all-purpose flour
1 C whole wheat flour (you could use all white if you’d prefer)
3/4 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ cup vegetable or canola oil
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups over-ripe bananas, mashed (about 3 large bananas)
1 C sour cream
1/2 C roughly chopped nuts (I like pecans)
2 large eggs
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tin with butter (never use oil, it’ll stick) or line 12 muffin cups with liners.
In a bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the oil, brown sugar. Mix in the vanilla extract, mashed bananas, sour cream, and eggs.
Stir in the dry ingredients until combined. Fill each
cup 3/4 of the way, and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes.) Let muffins cool on a wire rack.