Chunky Banana Muffins

I've made many different banana bread recipes through the years, and we've all decided this one is our favorite. I think that is pretty awesome considering I've replaced 1/2 the flour with wheat flour and reduced the sugar. Not only are these yummy, but they also much healthier than most muffins.

I use two types of bananas in my muffins: ripe and overripened. I like to whip in the overripened bananas for a uniform banana flavor, and then break pieces of ripe banana into the batter right before baking so that you get banana pieces in your baked muffins.

Yield : 18 muffins

1 C. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 C. oil
2 overripened bananas, peeled
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 C. wheat flour
1 C. a.p. flour
1 t. baking soda
2 ripe bananas, peeled
1/2 C. pecans

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a muffin tin with lightly greased paper liners. Sit aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer , combine sugar and eggs. Beat on medium speed until thick ribbons form - about 6 minutes.

 

 

Turn the mixer to low and slowly add in the oil. When oil is incorporated, add the overripened bananas and turn the mixer speed up to medium. Whip until the bananas are incorporated. Turn off your mixer and add in vanilla, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, flours, and baking soda. Mix on low just until combined. 

Remove the mixer bowl from the stand mixer. Break ripe bananas into chunks (about 5 per banana) and add them to the bowl. Gently fold banana pieces and pecans into the batter with a spatula.

Spoon into prepared muffin tin and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the muffins are a light golden brown and the centers of the muffins bounce back when pressed lightly. 

Remove the muffins from the tin and cool completely on a cooling rack. Add 6 paper liners to the muffin tin and grease them lightly. Fill with remaining batter and bake for 20 - 25 minutes, just like above.