banana muffins

cinnamon & brown sugar streuseled muffins

recently i baked up a batch of banana muffins for talented knitter, nice neighbor, foodie friend and all around awesome ladyfriend liz! i asked if she cared to write up a review of it for bunny pie site. she said: "yes!!" and knocked that sexy stuff out of the ballpark! here it is!


Debbie Carlos is the Asian Martha Stewart
(editor's note: lol)

A neighbor of mine and I often lament that there is a lack of good bakeries in Chicago. Note, not a lack of bakeries but a lack of good bakeries. Our standards are not that high, we define a good bakery as 1) offers a range of traditional baked goods 2) has affordable prices and 3) doesn’t close at 7pm or have odd business hours which no sane person could ever remember or get their ass to in time. Honestly, that’s our criteria. We’re not asking for a lot!

Because of this, those of us in Chicago with a sweet tooth have to get a little creative. This translates into pulling out the Kitchen Aid mixer, dusting off the baking manuals, and taking matters into our own hands. Lucky for me, Debbie Carlos did just that and delivered a little care package full of homemade banana muffins.

Everything about these muffins screams heaven. The only problem was that they didn’t last very long in my house! The “Good Girl” part of my brain kept telling myself that I should be savoring them, eating them bite by bite, and making them last throughout the week. Unfortunately, the “Homer Simpson” part of my brain won out and I managed to inhale multiple muffins simultaneously in a matter of seconds. Note: this is not recommended as it may lead to muffin crumbs attaching to your shirt (and then you unknowingly walk around with said crumbs attached to shirt, boo).

About the muffins: they were the perfect ratio of butter to flour, which resulted in a nice fluffy texture substantial enough to keep me full. A pinch of cinnamon sugar crumbled on the tops added just a smattering of sweetness. Also, I have been meaning to ask Debbie how she prepared the bananas (mashed? Sliced? Blended?) into the mixture because the strong banana flavor was really showcased in this little treat. Yes, it is definitely a banana muffin as the name says so those afraid of banana-flavored foods should stay away (yay more for me!).

Ever since Debbie shared these, I’ve been dreaming about making my own. They would be perfect with the Sunday New York Times and a cup of Ceylon tea. Or as a mid-day snack during a particularly grueling day at work. Or as a midnight snack when you can’t fall asleep. Really, I think any time might just be perfect for these!

-eam


1 1/2 C flour
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3 bananas - MASHED!!!
3/4 C sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 C melted butter

for the streusel:

1/3 C brown sugar
2 T flour
1/8 t cinnamon
1 T butter

1.preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease muffin pan if you are not using muffin liners.
2. mix together 1 1/2 C flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. in another bowl, mix together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. make sure to slowly temper the egg/banana/sugar mixture before pouring all the melted butter into the bowl so the egg does not cook.
3. pour banana mixture into dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. spoon batter into muffin cups.
4. in another bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 T flour and cinnamon. cut in the butter until it resembles a coarse meal. sprinkle amply on top of the muffin batter.
5. bake muffins from 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

check out liz's wonderful knitted creations on her knitting blog!