I have developed a little bit of a habit - a banana-buying habit. It seems every Sunday when I go to the markets, I come home with a small bunch of them in my grandma trolley. Usually I make them into delicious creamy smoothies but the idea of an icy-cold breakfast is a little unappealing at the moment. I did the next best thing and baked with them.
I make a lot of banana bread and am still on the hunt for the best recipe although I have come pretty close with this one. This time I decided to try something a little bit different with banana bread muffins. I sprinkled the tops with a bit of muesli for added crunch and they were the perfect afternoon tea snack. They're nice and fluffy and not too dense and if you make them in mini size they're very easy to eat (I'm not sure that's a good thing). The best part is that they're very very easy to make. That's what I love about muffins. It seems that most of them follow the mix the wet, mix the dry, mix them together and bake rule.
This recipe is no different. In one bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients. In another bowl, stir all the dry ingredients together making sure you sift the flour first.
Tip the dry ingredients into a medium bowl and make a well in the center then stir in the wet ingredients. Make sure you only mix until everything is combined. Over-mixing equals tough muffins and no-one likes that.
Spoon the batter into the tin or muffin papers. I couldn't decide which way I wanted them so I went for half of each.
Sprinkle the top of each muffin with a little muesli and bake them for 15-18 minutes at 160C.
Leave the muffins to rest in the tin for 5 minutes.
Transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
Pack them up in a basket and head off for a picnic. That step's not essential. You could warm them up again, smear them with butter and gobble them up.
The only danger with these is that that you can easily eat one with one big bite. If you don't have much self control, freeze the muffins and defrost them later - pop one in the microwave when the urge strikes. Enjoy!
So what about you? What do you always come home from the markets with?
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 crushed bananas
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup plain AP flour
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- 65 g 2oz butter, melted
- 1 beaten egg
- ½ tablespoon Greek yoghurt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ tablespoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoon toasted muesli
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 160C (320F) fan-forced. Line a mini muffin tin with paper cases or grease it well.
- In a medium bowl, combine the bananas, butter, egg, yoghurt and vanilla.
- In another bowl, combine the sugar, flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients.
- Gently stir them together until everything is just combined.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin tins.
- Sprinkle each one with a little muesli.
- Bake the muffins for 15-18 minutes or until a tester comes out clean and they are golden on top.
- Leave them to rest in the tins for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Barbara @ Barbara Bakes says
Love the addition of muesli on top and the little bite size muffins. I'm sure I'd eat way too many.
Claire says
You wouldn't be the first Barbara!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
Hehe I know all about crazy banana buying habits. Oh and I'm going to be in Brisbane next week. I hope we can meet up (if you're not too busy!) :)
Claire says
I'd love to catch up!
The Café Sucré Farine says
I'm jealous of your market that you can walk to Claire - but maybe it's better as I loose all of my brains when I get to a wonderful market! Love these tiny muffins, don't think they would make it to the picnic - but how sad to take the cover off of the basket only to find it empty because I had snitched all of them! :)
Claire says
Haha eat them on the way Nigella-style would you?
Hotly Spiced says
I have a granny trolley too. I use it every day as on the way home from my son's school we pass the shopping centre where there's Franklins, Harris Farm and a butcher. It's my routine. I bought my trolley a bit more than a year ago and it's totally fallen apart. I've seen a new one in a shop in the same shopping centre and it's black and grey with purple and pink flowers on it - it will go perfectly with my winter boots so I'm off to buy it today! Great looking muffins but I'd love to know, who eats all the food you bake? There's just the two of you and you certainly don't look like you over-eat! xx
Claire says
I'm a little bit jealous Charlie. Mine is a cheapo navy blue one that I bought because I didn't think I'd use it. I can't justify getting a new one until it dies though :-(
Haha good question... I give a lot of food away. Goes to my grandma, friends, family, off to work with family and friends. I pretty much give it to anyone who will take it! My sister's friend even picked up a batch of cupcakes on the way to work one day.
Hotly Spiced says
A lot of the sweet things I bake end up at my husband's office!
Claire says
We have a deal, he'll only take things in if I drive him to work that day.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love these muffins, what a cute idea for mini bites of banana bread!