Banana Bread Muffins

What better way to prove you were on Twitter in 2020 than being able to bake a nice banana bread. I use chocolate chips in mine so that my husband will eat it, but you can substitute with pecans if you wish.

The only real kitchen tool you need is a stand mixer, but you can still get by with a hand mixer. Measure out your ingredients before baking, it makes the process smooth and harder to mess up.

Also, I truly believe in using quality ingredients to produce a quality baked good, so buy good spices and flour (and chocolate chips especially).

• Serves: 12 muffins

• Prep time: 15 minutes

• Cook time: 25 mins

from Udell’s Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temp

• 1 cup white sugar

• 2 large eggs, room temp

• 3 ripe bananas

• 1 tablespoon milk

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 375° and grease muffin pan with butter (or use muffin liners).

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure ingredients are well mixed.

3. Peel bananas into a medium bowl; using a potato masher or back of fork, mash bananas until smooth. Add cinnamon and milk and mix until incorporated.

4. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high until air is incorporated, about 3 minutes. Slowly add sugar and continue to cream another 3 minutes, until mixture is fluffy.

5. Lower speed to medium-low and add one egg, let mix for 30 seconds then stop mixer and scrape down the bowl. Turn mixer back to medium-low speed and add second egg, allowing to mix for 30 seconds.

6. Add banana mixture to creamed butter, let incorporate for 30 seconds then stop mixer and scrape down the bowl.

7. Turn mixer to low or “stir” and slowly add flour mixture, let mix until no flour is showing. Add chocolate chips and incorporate for about 15 seconds, DO NOT OVER-BEAT.

8. Using a standard size ice cream scoop (or 1/3 measuring cup) add batter to muffin pan.

9. Bake at 375° for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick in the middle of the muffin comes out clean.

10. Remove from oven and remove muffins from pan to a cooling rack. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before eating.

Quick Hit

I once thought bananas had to be black to make this recipe, but I’ve since learned that a nicely spotted banana works best. Not overly ripe, still has lots of yellow with a good amount of brown spots.

Also, I leave my butter out overnight to make sure it’s reached proper room temperature. Pull your eggs out about two hours before you begin baking. If you forget, you can submerge them in warm water for about 10 mins and that’ll do the trick.