Imagine sinking your teeth into a fluffy, banana-infused muffin, crowned with a generous crumble of brown sugar goodness and a drizzle of heavenly vanilla glaze. That’s exactly what you’ll get with these banana crumb muffins – a delightful fusion of coffee cake and banana bread, all in one irresistible treat.
Here are some tips to ensure your banana crumb muffins turn out perfectly every time:
- Ripe Bananas: The key to moist and flavorful muffins is using ripe bananas with plenty of black speckles. The riper the bananas, the sweeter they are, adding natural sweetness and depth of flavor to your muffins.
- Buttermilk Magic: Buttermilk works wonders in baking, and these muffins are no exception. Its acidity helps tenderize the batter, resulting in a light and fluffy texture. Don’t skip this ingredient if you want bakery-worthy muffins!
- Almond Extract Boost: For an extra layer of flavor reminiscent of your favorite bakery treats, add a splash of almond extract to the batter. It’s a subtle yet delightful addition that elevates the overall taste.
- Alternating Wet and Dry: To achieve the perfect muffin texture without overmixing, alternate adding the wet and dry ingredients in batches. This technique ensures a smooth batter and tender crumb.
Banana Crumb Muffins
Ingredients
For the Crumb Topping:
- – 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
- – ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- – ¼ cup white sugar
- – ½ teaspoon salt
- – 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- – 8 tablespoons melted butter
For the Muffin Batter:
- – 1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas about 3 large bananas
- – 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- – 2 cups all-purpose flour
- – 1 teaspoon baking soda
- – 2 teaspoons baking powder
- – ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- – 1 cup white granulated sugar
- – ½ cup softened salted butter
- – 2 large eggs
- – 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- – ½ teaspoon almond extract
- – ½ cup buttermilk
For the Glaze:
- – 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- – 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a muffin pan with liners.
- Start by preparing the crumb topping. Mix together the flour, sugars, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter until large crumbs form. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mash the ripe bananas with lemon juice and set aside.
- In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the muffin batter.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and extracts, beating well.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet mixture, alternating between the two.
- Fold in the mashed bananas until just combined, then scoop the batter into the lined muffin pan.
- Top each muffin with a tablespoon of the prepared crumb topping.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool slightly.
- While the muffins cool, prepare the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled muffins, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
Remember, these muffins are best enjoyed fresh on the same day, or you can store them tightly wrapped for a delightful treat the next day. Happy baking!