banana bread muffins

I often buy too many bananas and feel bad about throwing them away (I live in Boston and composting just is not an option at the moment) so I throw them in the freezer instead. This banana hoarding has been going on for some time now, and frozen bananas are starting to take over my freezer. So I decided to do something about it and make some banana bread. The easy out, I know, but I always love banana bread. AND, I like trying new recipes for banana bread - with or without nuts, using different spices, sometimes adding sour cream or creme fraiche - so this time I settled on the Silver Palate's version. I miraculously had all the right ingredients, but did not have an hour to wait for a loaf to bake. And thus, the muffins were born. I might also add that the muffin is slightly more portable than a slice of bread. The addition of whole wheat flour makes them seem healthier somehow, and I was very pleased with the result!

Banana Bread Muffins
adapted from the Silver Palate Cookbook

makes 12 muffins

8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 large, ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup shelled walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (plus extra for sprinkling on top)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with muffin papers.

Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift the all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt together, stir in the whole wheat flour, and add to the creamed mixture, mixing well.

Fold in the mashed bananas, vanilla, walnuts and cinnamon.

Divide among muffin tins. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with the extra chopped walnuts and a little cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until tops are puffed and brown and a cake tester inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool in the tins.

- e