I've prepared these muffin twice already, and the second time I made them, I made sure I used "large-sized" bananas. Using 2 (12.5-oz.) size bananas, so the banana flavor really came through. Plus, it made the muffin seem a bit more moist.
Banana Cranberry Pecan Muffins
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Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 35 Minutes
Yields: 13 Muffins
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2 ripe (large-size) bananas (The un-peeled large bananas I used, weighed exactly 12.5-ounces.)
¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
¼ cup 100% Pure Maple Syrup
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract (Yes, I said 2 Tablespoons!)
¼ cup 2% milk
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1-½ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups (finely crushed) Millville Bran Flakes Whole Ground Wheat and Bran Cereal. (See *Note)
1 Tablespoon baking powder (Yes, I said 1 Tablespoon!)
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
3/4 cup dried cranberries, plus additional cranberries to place on top of the batter in muffin-cupcake liners; before baking.
1/3 cup pecan pieces, plus additional pecan pieces to place on top of the batter in muffin-cupcake liners; before baking them.
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1.) Preheat oven to 375°F.
2.) Line several muffin pans with muffin cupcake liners. (I used 13 of the paper cupcake liners.)
3.) In a large bow add the bananas, and mash them with a fork.
4.) Now add the (packed) light brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, 2% milk, vegetable oil, and eggs; combine ingredients together using an electric hand-held mixer.
5.) Now add the flour, finely crushed bran flakes cereal, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well.
6.) Stir in the dried cranberries and pecan pieces.
7.) Scoop batter into already lined muffin pan. (I filled each cupcake liners almost to the top. The batter will rise quite a bit, but seems to settle down while the cupcakes are cooling.)
8.) At this point, I also placed a few additional dried cranberries, as well as a couple pecan pieces, on top of the batter as well.
9.) Bake in oven for 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean.
10.) *Note: Be sure to crush the cereal first, with a rolling-pin, then measure the cereal to equal exactly 2 cups. (I place the un-crushed cereal in a "heavy-duty size" Freezer Gallon Ziploc Bags.)
11.) ***Additional Note: The muffins do puff-up quite a bit after they've been baked. But they seem to shrink a bit, after they've cooled. Also, the muffins can be frozen. Just place the cooled muffins in a Zip-Loc sealable freezer bag, and store them in the freezer. When serving, remove outer cupcake liner, cut muffin in half, then place on a paper plate, and microwave for 20 second. Cut muffin in half, and spread on a bit of butter. (I did warm cupcakes in a 1,000 watt microwave oven.)
Photo of 2 (large-size) bananas (The un-peeled large bananas I used weighed exactly 12.5 ounces.)
Photo of one (18-oz.) box Millville Bran Flakes Whole Grain Wheat and Bran Cereal. This cereal can be purchased at Aldi's.
Photo of the Banana Cranberry Pecan batter, placed in 13 cupcake paper liner; before they've been baked in oven. (I also placed extra dried cranberries and a few pecan pieces on top, before they were baked in the oven.)
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