Banana Muffins (vegan)

1. Preheat and Prep – Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly.
2. Mash Bananas – In a large bowl, mash 360 g (3 ripe bananas) thoroughly with a fork until almost no lumps remain. The riper and more spotted the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful the muffins.
3. Mix Wet Ingredients – To the mashed banana, add 80 ml (⅓ cup) neutral oil, 100 g (½ cup) brown sugar, 60 ml (¼ cup) non-dairy milk, and 10 ml (2 tsp) vanilla extract. Whisk until combined.
4. Mix Dry Ingredients – In a separate bowl, whisk together 240 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour, 8 g (1½ tsp) baking powder, 3 g (½ tsp) baking soda, 3 g (½ tsp) cinnamon, and 2 g (¼ tsp) salt.
5. Combine – Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. A few streaks of flour are fine — do not overmix.
6. Fill and Bake – Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full. Optionally top with banana slices or a sprinkle of brown sugar. Bake for 20–22 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool – Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Common Mistakes:

• Using under-ripe bananas — they must be heavily spotted or black for maximum sweetness and moisture.
• Overmixing — this develops gluten and results in dense, tough muffins.

Notes:

• No egg replacer needed — ripe banana is both the binder and the moisture source.
• Brown sugar adds a subtle caramel depth but white sugar or coconut sugar also work.

Storage:

• Room temperature for 2–3 days, fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Tips:

• Add 60 g (¼ cup) non-dairy yogurt to the wet ingredients for extra moist muffins.
• Fold in 85 g (½ cup) chocolate chips, walnuts, or blueberries for a variation.

Swaps:

• Replace all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a heartier muffin. Replace oil with melted vegan butter for a richer flavor.