BAKE: One Bowl Banana Oat (Pecan or not) Muffins
Winter is a time of abundance for me. Citrus fruits overflow in our fridge. Apples bathe in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a skillet weekly for a baked pancake or oatmeal. Bananas ripen quickly on the open wooden shelves in our kitchen.
A brown-spotted banana means it’s time for banana muffins. The bananas’ higher concentration of sugars adds a rich flavor. Folding in the coconut oil at the end gives the batter a healthy glow.
The order matters in this one-bowl preparation. Mash the bananas until they turn into a lumpy, syrupy goo, then stir in all the WET ingredients except the coconut oil.
Cardamom is optional, although I find it to be warming. Ceylon cinnamon, however, is mandatory in all muffins this time of year. I grind the oats for a few seconds in the Vitamix, and voila, I have oat flour.
I use a 6-cup silicone muffin tray, which is one and a half times larger than the traditional round hole. I fill the muffins three-quarters high with batter, add pecan pieces, push them down into the batter, and top with a half piece. If nuts aren’t everyone’s thing in the household, they can be eliminated in some or all.
The muffins are done when they turn golden brown and don’t yield to a gentle push on top. To reduce waste, I don’t use liners. Instead, I take an offset spatula around each ring to release the sides. They cool in the pan on a wire rack for a few minutes before turning out of the pan to eat.
If you choose not to read my ramblings, that’s OK, too. You can find your way through the recipe regardless. Happy Baking!
