Banana & Coconut Muffins

I found myself with some rather overripe bananas in the house today and so I decided to bake something with them. I hate waste and don't like to throw anything away if I can help it.
I still have cake here from the weekend so cake was out. I thought maybe muffins would be good or a loaf of some sort. I have a great muffin book on my kindle. I used to have the physical copy in the UK, but can't afford to replace it yet.

The name of the book is Mad About Muffins, buy Diana Bonaparte. Its an excellent book. It is in British measures, but that's okay. I can easily cope with that.
I found a recipe in it today for Banana & Coconut Muffins that looked very promising and so I decided to bake them. I have adapted it here for you with North American measures.

One thing about the recipe which really appealed to me is that it only makes 7 medium muffins. I know, an odd number. But so be it. You can bake the 7th one in a ramekin.
I really love my ceramic muffin baker. It gives muffins a really nice crust. I don't like to use papers if I can help it. Usually half the muffin stays in the paper. I think this muffin pan gives a nicer, cleaner finish, but maybe that is just me.
Its anthropology but I bought it at The Bay online last year when I was still living at my sisters.
Banana & Coconut Muffins

Another thing about these muffins which appealed to me was the fact that I had exactly the right amount and size of bananas to use. I also had the coconut available as well as the whole wheat flour.
I am sure if you don't have whole wheat flour you can just use plain all purpose flour, but they won't have the same nutty flavor that whole wheat flour imparts, or the fiber.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BANANA & COCONUT MUFFINS
Very simple ingredients. Deliciously put together.
For the muffins:

1/4 cup (60g) butter
1/2 cup (100g) soft light brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 (250g) small very ripe bananas (unpeeled weight), mashed
1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp rum extract
3 TBS hot water
3/4 cup (120g) plain all purpose flour
1/4 cup (50g) whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
scant cup (75g) sweetened shredded coconut

To top/finish the muffins:

1/3 cup (30g) sweetened shredded coconut
2 TBS demerara (turbinado) sugar

My bananas were really ripe, in fact they were mostly black. Don't every throw them away. They are still great for baking. If you can't use them right away, then peel and freeze them!
Banana & Coconut Muffins

The original recipe called for muscovado sugar. I can't get that here. It is a type of brown sugar with a higher molasses content. Soft brown sugar works well in its place. Muscovado is just less processed than regular brown sugar.
I know in the UK they basically just have desiccated coconut, or large coconut flakes. Use the desiccated but make sure it is sweetened. Here in Canada we have shredded.
The original recipe called for Malibu which is a coconut rum liquor I believe. I didn't have that. I just used hot water and some rum extract. It worked out beautifully.
Banana & Coconut Muffins

The tops of the muffins are sprinkled with coconut and demerara sugar prior to baking. Demerara sugar is known as turbinado sugar here in North America.
In the UK, it is also known as coffee sugar. It is a coarsely granulated brownish sugar that a lot of people enjoy in their coffees.

HOW TO MAKE BANANA & COCONUT MUFFINS
Normally when making muffins you mix the wet and the dry ingredients separately and then fold them together just to combine. The method of making these differs a tiny bit from that.
You want to begin by preheating your oven and prepping your muffin baker. You can use paper liners or butter your muffin baker really well and lightly dust with flour, shaking out any excess.
Banana & Coconut Muffins

Melt the butter in a large bowl (either in the microwave or over simmering water). Stir in the sugar and mashed banana, mixing well together. Stir in the vanilla and rum extracts.

Sift both flours together with the soda and salt. Add back any bran from the flour that might remain in the sifter.
Banana & Coconut Muffins
Add half the flour to the wet ingredients, mixing well together. Whisk in the hot water and then stir in the remaining flour, stirring to mix well. Stir in the coconut.Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups.

Sprinkle the coconut over the top of the muffins, dividing it equally and then sprinkle with the demerara sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 33 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool somewhat before eating. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
These are probably the yummiest banana muffins I have ever baked, and I have baked a LOT of banana muffins in my lifetime!

The next time you have bananas that need using up, I can highly recommend this banana muffin recipe! I think this is my all time favorite banana muffin recipe.
Its not too sweet or too cake like! It has a lovely crunchy topping from the coconut and sugar, and the flavors are amazing. If you are looking for a good muffin to bake this week, you can't go really wrong with these!