Delicious paired with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee, these caramelized banana muffins are an amped up version of the classic.
- 1 cup mashed banana (heaping) (2-3 very ripe bananas)
- 1 large banana, sliced into thin rounds (not a mushy one)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed, divided
- 1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick) + 2 Tbsp
- 4 Tbsp water, divided
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups AP flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp turbinado sugar (for topping)
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pans with 12 paper liners. Set aside.
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Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a nonstick pan over med/high heat. Add 1/4 cup light brown sugar and stir to combine. Add 2 Tbsp water, stir, and bring to a boil. Add the mashed bananas and cook for 3 mins. Pour into a bowl and set aside.
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Without cleaning the pan, add 1 Tbsp of butter and melt over med/high heat. Add 1/4 cup light brown sugar and stir to combine. Add 2 Tbsp water, stir, and bring to a boil. Add the sliced bananas in a single layer and cook for about 4 mins, flipping once. Remove from heat and set aside.
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Cream 1 stick of butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on med/high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, blending well.
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Add the mashed banana and buttermilk to the creamed mixture and beat on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute.
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Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to the wet mixture and with a spoon or the electric mixer, beat until combined.
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Stir in vanilla. Reserve 12 caramelized banana slices for topping the muffins and add the remaining slices and all those caramelized bits to the batter and fold.
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Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan, top each with a caramelized banana slice, and sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar.
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Bake for about 20 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
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Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or room temperature. Cover the muffins and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- As with most muffin or cake recipes, don't overmix the batter so you have a tender, not dense or chewy, crumb.
- I use brown, very ripe bananas to mash, but a slightly less ripe one for the banana slices so they stay intact.
- If the caramelized bits harden and stick to the pan, rewarm them over medium heat before adding to the batter.
- Turbinado sugar gives these muffins a nice crunchy top. You can swap granulated sugar (won't be as crunchy) or sparkling sugar (for even more crunch).
- Use muffin liners for easy removal and clean up.
- Store these muffins at room temperature for up to 3 days. I cover mine loosely with foil so the tops don't become soggy.