Wholewheat Banana Crumble Muffins

Muffin is a healthy version of a cupcake; I'd say that's the only difference I find in between the two. I might be wrong but I have always made them as a healthier alternative of cupcakes and that also with wholewheat, thus I like to say that's the only major difference I see.

They're moist as well plus you can add any fruit (fresh/frozen) in the batter, less fat, sugar and egg than the regular cupcakes (hmm sounds good), do not need a mixer or no beating involved (now that's getting better) and also no need to worry if you've ran out of paper liners/cases. You can directly spoon the batter into the greased and floured muffin tray and in they go to get baked, yaay! Bonus point: they can be served warm therefore, no point waiting till these goodies cool down and your patience is about to go unleashed :P gobble them down with a hot cuppa and you're good to go. Oh and an extra bonus point: we're making them with the wholewheat flour without compromising on the flavors, yipee! :D

Fresh muffins, just out of the oven

Muffin is one of my most favorite treats not just for breakfast but for snacking too. As a kid, my Mom used to give us a muffin with a glass of cold milk as an evening snack and also, it was one of my school lunchbox's items. They used to be bakery bought that my Dad would bring for us along with other delicious treats from our favorite bakery, Saghar in the K.S.A on his way back from work :) A sandwich, one fruit and one little treat with a pack of Saudi Haleeb milk or a pouch of Capri Sun or a box of Suntop juice in my red lunchbox that had Sesame Street characters printed on it, was my real treasure. I'd save the treat to eat in the bus on my way back home after school ended and it really comforted my hunger pangs temporarily while on the 45 min commute back home.

You can even make without the crumble top

Coming back from the memory lane :) as I grew up and got better at baking, a bit more adventurous and a little health conscious, I thought of making them at home with whatever experimenting of the flavors I could think of and used wholewheat flour instead of the regular all-purpose one. Not only me, but everyone who had them and is a fan of my baking, loved them! :D one of those many experiments is Banana Muffins and I also made wholewheat Chocolate Muffins (another upcoming post) I then tried to be a little more adventurous and made these muffins more fancy by adding the crumble on top. To give this crumble muffins a breakfasty touch, I then added some rolled oats in the topping. Exibit-a, here you're reading a post on them, Ta Da!

Get ready to unleash some of the baking aroma in your kitchen, Cooks! :D

Wholewheat Banana Crumble Muffins

Ingredients:

Wholewheat Flour: 2 cups
Bananas: 3 (large, ripe and mashed. Add 2,3 drops of lemon juice to prevent browning) 

Egg: 1

Brown Sugar: 3/4 cup (you can use white too or use half white and half brown) 

Vegetable Oil: 1/2 cup (can use Olive oil or even butter if you like) 

Butter Milk: 1/4 cup (or take 1/4 cup milk at room temp, add half a tsp of white vinegar and let it stand covered for a few minutes before using)

Baking Powder: 1 tsp.

Baking Soda: 1 tsp.
Salt: 1/4 tsp.
Cinnamon Powder: 1 tsp.
Sultanas/Raisins: 1/4 cup (optional) 

Topping:
Flour: 2 tbsp.
Rolled Oats: 2 tbsp.
Brown Sugar: 1/3 cup
Chopped Nuts: 1/3 cup (any of your choice, can use desiccated coconut too)
Cinnamon Powder: 1 tsp.
Butter: 2 tbsp. (cold)

Method:

1. Grease and flour a 12 cup muffin pan and preheat the oven at 180 C/350 F/Gas-mark 4. 
2. In a clean and dry bowl, mix all the dry ingredients like flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, sultanas and cinnamon powder. Keep aside.
3. In another bowl, lightly whisk an egg with the oil/butter and the butter milk. Add the mashed bananas.
4. Now lightly fold all of the dry ingredients into this wet mixture. DO NOT beat or the muffins will become hard. Just fold gently until the mixture gets wet. Do not worry if its still lumpy 
5. Mix all the dry topping ingredients and cut the cold butter into them. Mix with the help of your finger tips till the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Keep aside.
6. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, do not over fill. Just fill 3/4 of the cup.
7. Sprinkle the topping on all of the muffins.
8. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 30-35 mins or till the tops are golden brown and the tester inserted into the center of the muffins come out clean.
9. Let stand for 10 mins before removing the muffins to cool on a wire rack.
10. Serve warm or at room temp. with tea/coffee/milk.

      Makes 12

That's all, fellow bakers! :) Baking time can always be adjusted according to the type of your ovens. I hope you enjoy making and eating them. Until next time, keep sharing the goodness of this greatest blessing, that has been bestowed in abundance upon us the lucky ones, with the less fortunate ones.
Thank you and please remember in your Du'as/prayers! :)

*Not be duplicated, rewritten or published without permission- Thank you!