Banana Oatmeal Muffin

It took me 3 tries before I was able to perfect it. The first one was overcooked and slightly dry. The second one tasted like oatmeal muffin only, no hint of banana at all! I used the wrong variant of banana..and learnt in the process that not all bananas are equal.

So first lesson, use Lacatan variety. They give more banana-ish flavor. You can, of course, use artificial flavoring, but I personally prefer, the natural tastes (the artificial once kinda have like cough syrup or some child medicine tastes).

Second, I always hear this from cooking shows - "every oven is different". I thought that is just a cliche. But lo and behold, this Banana Oatmeal served me that lesson, in a cold saucer holding an overcooked muffin. Ahahah So.. (1) I learn to get to know my oven and (2) to test the muffins 5 minutes shy from the cooking time specified. Stick a toothpick and if it comes out clean, its time to get those muffins out of the oven and let them rest.

They say 3 is a charm. That is definitely true for me with this Banana Oatmeal Muffin experience. After the 2 attempts/mistakes, I finally got it right. AND yummy! *big smile


You'll Need:
3 ripe Lacatan Bananas (mashed)
1 Egg
2 cups Rolled Oats
1 and 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tbsp. Brown Sugar
1/2 cup White Sugar
1 and 1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1 and 1/4 cups Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
2 tbsp Butter

For the Toppings:
1/2 cup Rolled Oats
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
2 tbsp melted Butter

You'll Do:
1. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients - oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and brown and white sugar.
2. In a smaller bowl, mix the wet ingrediets - egg, oil, butter and vanilla.
3. Combine both wet and dry ingredients. Add to it the mashed bananas.
4. Divide into 12 sprayed or lined muffin tins.
5. In another bowl, combine the toppings ingredients. Sprinkle mixture over each muffin batter.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

A few things:
1. You can use 5 tbsp of butter instead of using oil + butter. I just find using the combination giving better results. The butter gives the muffin a creamy taste while the oil keeps it moist.
2. I saw in some Nat Geo - People show that freezing the Bananas for at least 24 hours before using it for baking would result to more banana-ish flavor. I've still got to try this trick (or myth).

There you go folks. Enjoy and may this have alleviated (somehow) the burden of baking. :) hahaha

Xoxo