Banana Boy Muffins

I found this recipe on a cooking website, and have tweaked it here and there to ensure the moistest, yummiest muffins pop out the oven every single time. If you choose to use a jumbo muffin tin, and you fill them all the way to the top (as I did), your muffins will come out with a crunchy, super scrumptious muffin top (I hear the muffin connoisseurs screaming no! ). The mixture can also be used to make a banana loaf, in which case, use a greased loaf tin, and adjust the cooking time to about an hour.

Anyhoo, here’s how it goes.

To make 6 jumbo banana boy muffins, you will need:

3 large, ripe bananas

125g butter or margarine, melted

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup of sugar

1 tsp of vanilla essence (1/2 tsp of vanilla extract)

1 tsp of bicarb (baking soda)

1/2 tsp of baking powder

2 cups of plain, all purpose flour, sifted

2 tsps of allspice or cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup of oil

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius, and grease a large-hole muffin tray.
2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas until soft and squishy.
3. Using a wooden spoon, mix in the egg, followed by the sugar and vanilla.
4. Sprinkle the baking soda and baking powder over the mixture, and stir in.
5. Add the flour, spice and salt, and mix until just combined.
6. Pour the oil over the mix, and stir until incorporated.
7. Spoon into the prepared muffin tray, and bake in the preheated oven for 30-45 minutes, until the tops have browned, and skewer inserted into a muffin comes out clean. (Time will vary according to oven, so keep and eye on them.)
8. Allow to cool slightly before cutting in half, smearing with butter and dolloping some strawberry jam on each half.