Banana Pina Colada Muffins

Banana Pina Colada Muffins

(from King Arthur Flour)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2-3/4 teaspoon coconut flavoring/extract

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)

1/4 cup honey

2 large eggs

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)

3/4 to 1 cup diced dried pineapple (do not use canned- it is too juicy for these muffins)

1/3 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with muffin cups, and grease if desired.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla, and coconut flavor.

Add the bananas, honey, eggs, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt, beating until smooth. Stir in the flour, then the dried fruit. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups; sprinkle each muffin with coconut.

Bake the muffins for 25-28 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and serve warm or room temperature.

A note from me: I had some freeze dried pineapple in my food storage, so I rehydrated a little for this recipe. I measured out the 3/4 cup of pineapple, and then I poured just enough orange juice over it to cover it, and let it soak while I assembled the rest of the muffin batter. When the time came to add in the pineapple, I drained off the remaining OJ and added the pineapple as directed. I also made 8 mini-loaves instead of 12 muffins.