These little muffins have been pleasing my family for several years now! These little bites of bliss are my daugher, Holly's, very favorite breakfast, snack, dinner, supper...hahaha (takes after her momma)!!
Natalie Roebuck Benz baked these and brought them over when my mother in law passed away a few years ago. I literally hid some in the back of the refrigerator so no one else could eat them...not my best moment! Ha! A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do : ) They were so delicious and moist and the frosting was different than most because the sweetener was honey. I have made these over and over again and they rarely last more than one day. It is a recipe by Giada...which explains why it is a great recipe!
I shared them just the other day with my son-in-laws family who has had a family member in the hospital for several days. They make about 24 muffins and can be eaten as breakfast, snack or dessert which makes them a great recipe to bake and share. Another reason that this is a good go-to recipe is that they are good frosted or unfrosted. In fact, when I brought them to the hospital, I left half frosted and the other half unfrosted.
I usually put them in the fridge after one day. They last longer and it is easy to take them out, pop them in the microwave for a few seconds and enjoy for more than one day (that is if they last that long...just hide them like I do...works like a charm)!
I love the taste of freshly grated nutmeg in recipes and it is very easy and fast to do it. If you do not have one of these microplane graters...I would definitely recommend investing in one. It not only makes grating nutmeg a snap, but cheese, lemon or lime peel or garlic too...just watch those fingertips!
Another item I used this time was this Vietnamese Saigon Cinnamon. I bought it at the Nutcracker Christmas Market last November. It is supposed to have a higher oil content which makes it more aromatic and is supposed to be sweeter. But, do I think I will run out and search high and low for it when it runs out?
Neh...when it runs out I probably will just go back to my trusty, local grocery store and buy a name brand. I have used it several times and have had great results so I just thought I would share.
Another thing that makes my cooking life a little easier is using a scoop to fill my muffin cups. Excuse my muffin/cucake pan...it has been used a few times! I will say I like this stoneware dish the best when it comes to getting the muffin/cupcakes cooked but not overly brown, which is the way I like them.
WITH
MASCARPONE CHEESE FROSTING
3 cups all-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (canola is what I use)
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 ripe bananas, peeled and coarsely mashed
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Line 18-24 muffins cups with cupcake liners.
Whisk the flour, soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl to blend.
Beat the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Stir in the mashed bananas. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended.
Divide the batter between the cups and bake on the middle rack until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean...approximately 25 minutes. I start checking at about 20 minutes.
Transfer to a cooling rack.
These muffins can be eaten warm or cooled and frosted.
FROSTING
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup toasted, chopped walnuts, (or pecans) (you do not have to toast them)
Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the mascarpone and then the honey. Spread the frosting on the muffins and sprinkle with the walnuts or pecans.
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| I did not toast the pecans on these! |
ENJOY!
These look so good, thank you for sharing!
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