I wanted to start my blog with this recipe all those months ago (it's almost been a whole year since I started blogging!), but I got so caught up in the variations of this recipe that it became overwhelming. But I find that breaking apart this recipe is a fascinating representation of how all recipes can be changed as long as you stick with the basic method, so I finally put all my thoughts on muffins into one blog!
The basic method of muffin making is thus: mix all the dry ingredients (sifted is best) together, then mix all the wet ingredients together. Combine wet and dry ingredients together and quickly put them in the oven to bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Simple!
If you stick with this method, you can make just about any muffin you desire! So let's start experimenting!
BREAKING DOWN THE RECIPE:
This recipe is tried and true. If you follow it to the letter, you will come out with some really tasty banana muffins. However, when reading this recipe, you might begin to ask yourself..."Well, I only have wheat flour in my pantry...will that work?" Or..."I don't have buttermilk. If I use plain milk, will that screw up the recipe?" Or..."Can I use other fruit besides bananas?"
These are questions that come up because of what you have on hand, but they are also questions you SHOULD be asking! By analyzing a recipe, you start thinking like a chef.
Banana Muffin Recipe
makes 12 muffins or 2 small loaves
*also works well in 1/2 batches
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| This recipe has seen a lot of love.... |
2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup oil
2 large eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed or pureed
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 pecans (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
spray oil/butter/cupcake liners for muffin tins or pans
Directions:
1. Mix (or sift) all the dry ingredients together, including pecans.
2. Mix all the wet ingredients together, including banana puree.
3. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Immediately transfer to lined/buttered/oil-sprayed muffin tins.
5. Bake at 400F for 12-15 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean.
NOTE: The reason it is important to quickly put the muffin batter in the oven is that muffins rise from the chemical reaction made by the baking soda and baking powder. These ingredients start to let off gas as soon as they combine with liquid, and these gasses help the batter to rise. If the batter is left to sit before baking, all the gas will escape and you will have very flat muffins.
To make Muffin Bread: Put batter in oiled loaf pans, filling them about 1/2 way. Bake for 30-40 mins.
To make Muffin Cake: Pour batter into oiled cake pan, filling about 1/2 way. Bake for 30-40 mins.
Let's talk flour!
Knowing what different flours you have at your disposal will help you make the right decision about what kind of muffins you would like to make:
White AP (all purpose) flour: This is the most popular flour in the grocery store. White flour means that most of the bran (the outside of the wheat seed) and the germ (the reproductive part of the seed...or what will eventually turn into a new wheat plant if it was planted) is removed. Both the germ and the bran contain the most nutritious components of the seed. What is left over is the endosperm, which is composed mostly of starch. By removing the bran and germ, the flour is has less nutrients, but it is also light and easy to work with.
What kind of muffin will this make?
This will create a typical muffin. It will be light and fluffy, but will contain less nutrients.
Whole Wheat Flour: This flour is made by grinding the whole wheat seed. It has the most nutrients, but can be very dense.
What kind of muffin will this make?
I have made many whole wheat muffins and they are, well, "healthy" tasting. They are dense and nutty and will fill you up. If you're looking for a nutritious option this flour works well.
Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: This flour is lighter than regular whole wheat flour, and contains less protein. This is my favorite flour for baked goods because it has a texture much like white flour, but it has more nutrients.
What kind of muffin will this make?
These muffins should be light and fluffy, just like AP flour muffins.
White Pastry Flour: This is a very light flour and contains even less protein than white flour. It is specifically for baked goods because it has a soft structure when baked.
What kind of muffins will this make?
These muffins will be the lightest version....more like a cupcake than a muffin. This flour would be perfect for a fancier muffin.
Sugar:
White sugar: This sugar works really well for any baked good. I don't usually use white sugar, but it works just great for muffins.
Brown sugar: This is the sugar I recommend the most because it contains more moisture than white sugar, and makes a very tender muffin. Plus, it has a deeper, richer flavor which I prefer.
Molasses/Honey/Agave: You can use these sweeteners instead of regular sugar, but you have to be very careful of the amount you add in. All of these sweeteners contain a lot of moisture, so if they are added to the batter in large amounts, they can make the batter too runny which will prevent the muffin from setting up properly. Also, both honey and agave are very sweet, so they could potentially ruin the taste of the muffin in large amounts. If you want to try using them, I recommend using about 1/2 the recommended amount (so 1/2 cup molasses to 1 cup sugar in a standard recipe).
Milk:
Although this recipe calls for buttermilk, I never use this anymore. Since I'm lactose intolerant, I've had to find good dairy-free alternatives. If you can use buttermilk, I would recommend it because the acid in the buttermilk helps these muffins to rise. However, I have found other options that works just as well...or better!
Regular Milk: works great on it's own, or add 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice to make it into buttermilk.
Soy Milk: I do not recommend soy milk. Not only do I not like the taste, but it changes the muffin texture and taste significantly. I found muffins made with soy milk are denser and more rubbery.
Rice Milk: This milk actually lends itself perfectly to baked goods. It is light and sweet tasting, but it doesn't help the batter to rise. Add 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice to offset this.
Almond Milk: This is what I use all the time. It works well by itself or by adding 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice. My recommendation!
Water: I have used water before. It is cheap, but does not add any taste or texture to the batter. If you use water (running out of milk happens!), make sure to add 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice so the batter will rise.
Oils:
Canola Oil (or any light oil): This kind of oil is both cheap and creates a perfectly good muffin. It is not as healthy as some other options, but it is a good staple.
Olive Oil: Although this is one of the healthiest oils you can use, I would not recommend it for muffins....unless you were making a savory muffin. Olive oil is very flavorful, and tends to overwhelm the overall taste of the muffin. This would work well with a healthier, whole wheat muffin which is more savory than sweet.
Coconut oil: This is what I use most of the time. I like coconut oil because it is healthy, but it is also firm at room temperature (like butter) which gives the muffins a great melt-in-your-mouth sensation as you eat it. It also has a nice, subtle coconut flavor. The only downside is that you have to melt it before you add it to the batter.
Fruit!
Almost any fruit will work in these muffins. This is where you can really get creative! Here are some options that I have made that work great!
-banana, mashed
-applesauce (or just cooked, pureed apples)
-berries (fresh or frozen): blackberries, raspberries, strawberries
-pumpkin or squash (like butternut) puree
-stone fruit: plums, nectarines, peaches, apples...pureed or chopped small
Other Additions:
You can add almost anything to muffins. The batter works well with very few ingredients, or many ingredients. It just depends on how dense, or nutritious, or light, or sweet you want them! Here are some that work well:
-chopped nuts: pecans, walnuts, almonds
-seeds: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
-healthy additions: wheat germ (about 1 TB), ground flax seeds (1 TB)
Spices:
-cinnamon
-nutmeg
-cloves
-garam masala
-ginger
My Favorite Variations:
Pumpkin Spice Muffins:
1 cup pumpkin puree (instead of banana)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice (optional)
1 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
Apple Spice Muffins:
1 cup applesauce
1 tsp cinnamon
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| Sprinkle batter with sugar for extra sweetness and crunch! |
So, have fun with you muffins! Since it is fall, I've been making lots of pumpkin muffin bread! It is fun to use what is in season and plug it into this very basic, easy recipe. Enjoy!
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