Monday, July 27, 2009

Banana-Poppy Seed Muffins

IMG_1876

I want to share some wonderful news with you - last week, I became an aunt of a beautiful baby girl! She has ten perfect fingers and ten perfect toes and is otherwise absolutely adorable, squeezable and kissable. And she already likes her auntie, which she demonstrated by not screaming her head off when I picked her up. That scored some big brownie points in my book.

IMG_1834

My favorite thing to bring to new moms is food. I figure that by the time I get there, the baby clothes cuteness is wearing a bit thin and a hot dinner is more welcome than another pink onesie. Although, I do have to admit that the charm of pink onesies cannot be denied.

IMG_1865

I looked through my cookbooks for just the right thing to make, and when I came across these muffins, I knew that this was "it." Everyone likes banana muffins, and the poppy seeds give them an interesting twist that keeps the bit of crunch without making me worry about nut allergies. The addition of whole wheat flour and four bananas keep them on the healthier side, hearty enough for breakfast or just a snack while still moist and delicious. Lastly, I was attracted to the fact that, if wrapped individually, these muffins can be thrown into the freezer - a quick reheat in the microwave or toaster oven and you have a freshly baked muffin anytime you want. I might just be tempted to make another dozen or two for myself!

IMG_1829

Banana-Poppy Seed Muffins
from my favorite cookbook of the moment, Once Upon a Tart (it's wonderful, seriously)

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup of sugar
4 very ripe bananas, mashed (the authors emphasize that the bananas must be very ripe, even black)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup cold milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 400F and butter or spray 12 regular or 6 extra large muffin cups.

Whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and poppy seeds together in a medium bowl.

In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the mashed bananas and continue mixing on high until the bananas are blended in completely. Lower the speed to low and mix in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated (about a minute), and then mix in the milk and the vanilla.

Gradually add in the dry ingredients just until the flour disappears - do not overmix.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

To freeze, allow muffins to cool to room temperature. Then wrap each individually in two layers of plastic wrap. Alternatively, set the unwrapped muffins on a tray and freeze for an hour or so (flash freeze), and then store in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. As far as I can tell, they will keep for about 2 months.

21 comments:

♥peachkins♥ said...

Just the right thing to bring to new moms...something really yummy!!

Y said...

Those muffins look drop dead amazing. Love that brown paper you used too. Congrats on being an aunt. I love my two little nieces, although the first time I met the firstborn, she cried her head off. Very off-putting :)

Dewi said...

How beautiful Irene! Love those wrapping paper, love the color, and it is very pretty. Of course, the star is the muffin. Sounds irresistible!

Manggy said...

Congratulations to your sister and you! They look so beautifully moist, and caramelized in the right places!

Nutmeg Nanny said...

These look so moist and delicious! I love muffins and I love any recipe that can help me use up some ripe bananas:)

Anonymous said...

Congratulation on becoming an auntie! I'm sure the new mom appreciated these muffins. They look tasty.

Anonymous said...

Oh, congrats, Aunt Irene!!! You are so right: new mothers appreciate home-cooked meals more than anything else, as they are so dead tired and sleep deprived.

I make banana muffins and also lemon-poppyseed muffins, but it never occured to me to combine the two. Irene, you are a genius!

Fiona

ChichaJo said...

My best friend is a new mom! This would be perfect! Actually, this would be perfect for anyone...it sounds delicious!

Irene said...

Fiona - I'm not the genius, the guys at Once Upon a Tart are! I had reservations about the banana-poppy seed combination, but once I tasted them, I was sold. I liked that I didn't have to worry about nut allergies with these muffins, but there was still that crunch that you really have to have in a banana muffin/bread.

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

Congratulations! Those are scrumptious.

Juliana said...

Congratulations...auntie! Your banana and poppy seed muffins look delicious.

Gera@SweetsFoodsBlog said...

Congrats for you and your sister for the gorgeous baby girl!!...Also for these beyond great muffins :)

Cheers,

Gera

Simones Kitchen said...

Congratulations on being an aunt! I am sure most moms would love to receive these gorgeous muffins (or all non-mums as well)

Patricia Scarpin said...

Congratulations on becoming an auntie! :D

These muffins look wonderful - I have never tried banana muffins with poppy seeds and that sounds amazing.

Anonymous said...

congrats on being an aunt
your blogs are BEAUTIFUL! What kind of cameras do you use?
And geez, your kitchen, all of those pics look like a high-end cook book, but I'll bet they taste better than they look! Saying something. Now, I'm going to raid the fridge.

(came here from DWG via the tearoom)

(*)>

Irene said...

Hey Betsy! Thanks :) I use a Canon Xsi with a 50mm f/1.8 lens (about $80). I love the lens. And LOL about my kitchen, it's about 90 sq. ft. and hardly fits me.

I was trying to post a response in the tearoom, but it's not letting me somehow. I'm finishing up another story on AHA and will get back to SoH soon. Glad people still remember it!

The Food Librarian said...

Congratulations on being an auntie! These looks great...did you get these from Surfas? I got mine there. The white ones are pretty too! :)

Mermaid Sews said...

They look amazing, love how you wrapped them. Congrats auntie.

Knittingmomofsix said...

Thanks! I have used this recipe for years and can't find my Once upon a Tart cookbook. I hope I didn't lend it out.

Snooky doodle said...

oh these look so good. I m imaging the smell of these freshly baked . awesome :)

Gabbi said...

I woke up with a hankering for banana poppy seed muffins, and this recipe won my trust immediately. The muffins are still in the oven but I licked the batter, and it tastes great.

My bananas weren't completely ripe, so I used a trick I learned from Heidi over at 101 Cookbooks: roast the bananas, peel on, in a 325 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. It softens them and adds a nice, caramelized dimension.

Thanks for sharing! I'm off to look at the rest of your recipes now.