Banana Crumb Muffins

A couple of weeks ago I walked into the kitchen and all I could smell was bananas. The bananas that we had were beginning to ripen too and the aroma that they were giving off made me long for some sought of banana cake. I settled on banana bread. I took out my flour and…. no wait… hold that thought.



A few days prior to that I was visiting my SIL and she asked me to make a chocolate cake. Anyone who knows me knows that I love my chocolate cakes rich and chocolaty. All she had was flour and cocoa so I had to settle on a light chocolate sponge cake.


With my niece and nephew fighting over who is going to stand next to the bowl I started baking. I mixed everything up, poured it into a baking tray and placed it in the oven as usual. After twenty minutes or so I decided to check the cake. It had risen only slightly and was unusually flat on top. I pondered over what could have gone wrong and then I took one look to the right and saw the unopened tin of baking powder. No worries though my SIL rushed to the shop to get some fresh cream and we turned it into a good tasting “chocolate brownie” trifle.


I realized that day how important it is to plan and prepare when baking so I paused, took out my little ramekins and for the first time did my mis en place.


The banana bread turned out quite good but I wasn’t satisfied. Being banana bread it wasn’t as moist and fluffy as I normally like my cakes.

With that I decided to give it another go and this time decided to make banana muffins. I searched and found this great recipe for banana crumb muffins. These muffins didn’t disappoint. They turned out moist and fluffy and were great even the next day. A word about the crumb topping… I found that it was great the same day but became soft and sugary the next day. I think it was from the humidity, but if you have sensitive teeth you not going to like biting into the sugary crumb mixture on top.

· 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
· 1 teaspoon baking soda
· 1 teaspoon baking powder
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 3 bananas, mashed
· 3/4 cup white sugar
· 1 egg, lightly beaten
· 1/3 cup butter, melted
· 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
· 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
· 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.

In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.

Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into centre of a muffin comes out clean.