Banana Cereal Muffins

This recipe comes from a whole grain cookbook I received as a gift.  The book is called "Good to the Grain" by Kim Boyce.  It has great recipes full of whole grain filled backed goods.  The recipes use all kinds of different flours, like the rye flour used in this one.  I bought mine at Whole Foods.  As usual, I made this recipe using organic ingredients.

Makes 8 muffins

Ingredients:

Cooking spray for baking
2 twelve cup muffin tins or one 24 cup muffin tin

For the cereal:
1/2 cup cracked multi grain cereal (like Bob's Red Mill brand)
1 1/2 cups water
salt

Dry mix:
1 cup rye flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Wet mix:
3/4 stick of cold, unsalted butter
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
3 ripe bananas, about 1 1/4 lbs
2 TBS unsulphured molasses
1 egg
Here's how:

Make the cereal.  Boil 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a small pan on the stove.  Add the cereal and salt.  Cook on low, uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until the cereal is soft and has absorbed the water.  Stir occasionally.

Once done, set aside 1/2 cup of cereal and cool.  Save the rest for the next time you make these.


Cereal ready

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray the muffin pan, including the tops, with cooking spray.  You can use butter for this as well.

Sift the dry ingredients together.  I use a whisk for this.  It is easier and less to clean.

This is the Rye Flour I use

Dry ingredients whisked together

Add the butter and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. 

Butter and sugar ready for mixing

Mix on high until the butter and sugar are creamy and light.

Butter and sugar creamed

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl

Add the bananas, molasses, egg and 1/2 cup cooled cereal.  Mix on medium speed until thoroughly combined, about one minute.

Wet ingredients ready

Eggs, molasses, cereal and banana added

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.  Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until combined.

Dough is ready for the prepared muffin pan

Scoop the muffins into the pans.  Be sure not to use cups next to each other.  Make sure you leave one in between.  This allow the tops to brown better.  Make sure you mound the batter over the top of the cup.

Mounded over the tops and ready to bake

Bake for 35-40 minutes, rotating halfway through.  Muffins are done when the bottoms are dark in color.  Once done. just twist the muffin and it will come out.  Sit it on its side so it cools and does not get soggy.

Tip the muffins on their sides

Muffins are ready!!

Eat warm or store in an airtight container for 2 days.  You can freeze them and eat later.