Keeping the busy happening - banana muffin recipe

Banana Cupcakes with Maple Cream Frosting

As usual, I didn't have everything I needed, but in this case, even if I had, I wouldn't have gone full out...too much cream!

These originated in Michael McCamley's Gluten-Free Baking (2012, Parragon Books, p.28)...and then I made a different version by increasing flour to almost 2 cups, adding a teaspoon of baking powder, reducing the cream to 2 tablespoons, reducing the butter to less than the "stick" (which I believe is a half cup?) and adding a little snack size of unsweetened applesauce to compensate,  I also added a tablespoon of maple flavouring as well-because I wanted to skip the frosting, so I thought the maple flavour that would come from the missing icing should go into the muffin instead.  I also whipped the butter for a long time, but because I added applesauce, it was 'globbing' instead of fluffing and lightening, so I added half the flour first, to break it up and get some more air into it.  It seems to have worked out.  They just came out of the oven, and they smell like I might eat too many.  But I won't.  They're appealing to the kids right now, so that will account for a few I'm sure.

The original version follows-it might rise more than the one I baked, and it certainly has more calories!

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cream together:
1 stick of butter
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
Add and beat in:
2 eggs
1/2 cup light cream
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
1 tablespoon of glycerin (I also skipped this)
Add and mix
1 3/4 cups self-rising gluten-free flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon gluten-free baking soda
2 cups of mashed banana

Frosting
4 tablespoons softened butter
1/2 cup cream cheese
3 cups confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup, plus extra to serve (optional)

Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners, bake for 25-30 mins.  When done, remove immediately and cool on a wire rack.  When cooled, frost...for a total of 480 calories per muffin.

Now you know why I changed it.  480 calories.  480 calories?!! AYKM?  (That's texting for "Are you kidding me?")  I wouldn't take that on, as I've discovered that's about 125 mins on the treadmill...I'd rather those come off me!

Thanks to my sister-in-law, who gave me the book, I now have a nice version of a banana maple muffin to make when I feel like having something treat-ish.

The day is ending, the Patriots are lagging on the scoreboard, which means there's a really unhappy man in the stands...so I'll end with hoping that the Patriots pull the game out and get to the Superbowl this year.  Bedtime calls as well, so there are stories to be read, and teeth to be scrubbed clean before any of that...

Cheers and chao!