I had half a jar of Nutella lying around in my cupboard.
Besides sticking a spoon and licking the spoon clean, and perhaps slapping a tablespoon of Nutella in banana slices… I didn’t really know what to do with it.
All I knew was that: Nutella + bananas = mmm good.
I also had this new piping bag that I have never used. Yes, it’s also my first piping bag. Sad. But oh well, I wanted to use it now now now and practise my skillz… if I have any that is.
So… I go to google and type: “banana nutella,” to see what sort of recipes would come up. I see crepes, cupcakes, muffins, cakes, etc. Well crepes are all right, but I wanted to use my piping bag. Cupcakes and muffins are good. Cakes, ehh, I lost my cake tin. (Seriously.)
Fast forward: I decided on making these banana muffins I found on Elise’s blog: Simply Recipes, where it was first a banana bread she had gotten from a friend’s friend’s mother, Mrs. Hockmeyer. Based on the historical context and the comments of this particular recipe, there was obviously a high demand for it; thus, I knew this recipe would be perfect.
I didn’t have any baking soda, and could not be bothered to buy baking soda since: a.) I’m lazy, and b.) I knew I could never finish the whole canister anyway = waste. So I just settled on baking powder and tripled the amount stated for baking soda and removed the need for salt.
The result was fine… No, it was perfect. The muffin had a sweet crunchy top and a light, soft, moist inside. The mashed bananas could still be sensed and tasted… and it was delicious… not too sweet but still tasty if you know what I mean. It was awesome. It was amazing. It was astonishing. This is probably the best banana muffin I have ever made. Well, this was the only one I tried making, but I don’t think I’ll be trying any other recipes soon.
Thanks Elise!
Banana Muffins
adapted from Elise and Mrs. Hockmeyer
4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
3 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Nutella (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 175°C. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.
2. On a separate bowl, mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla.
3. Sprinkle the baking powder over the sugar and egg mixture and mix in.
4. Add the sugar and egg mixture to the butter and bananas mixture and mix until well blended.
5. Add the flour; mix until it is just incorporated. Take care not to over-mix or this will result in either: a.) a muffin with a sunken center, or b.) a muffin with a tough crumb.
6. Pour mixture into a prepared muffin tin. Bake for 30 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Cool.
7. Optional: Pipe Nutella and top with silver balls, or any other decoration to make Banana Cupcakes.
Makes approximately 12 muffins, or cupcakes, depending if you ice them or not. :)
