Fluffy and Moist Sour Cream Banana Bread (Whole Wheat option)

This morning, I volunteered for the "Breakfast for Learning Program" at my older kiddies' elementary school.   Through generous donations from the community, school and the Parent Advisory Committee (PAC), our children's school can offer a simple breakfast for those who come to school hungry.  The PAC helps purchase and provide juice, milk, yogurt, cereal bars, cinnamon buns and muffins.  Depending on the volunteer, someone can make pancakes or waffles for a hot breakfast!  

  

Since this was my first gig for the year, I simply set out the usual milk, fruit, juice and store bought bran muffins.  To test the waters, I also brought a batch of my sour cream whole wheat banana bread.  I made them into mini muffins, mini loaves and a big loaf.  I was OVERWHELMED by the response!  When I ran out of mini muffins, I cut up the last loaf and it was GONE IN SECONDS.  Wow.  

This is another one of those recipes that I have been using for over 10 years.  Great for gift-giving and Christmas.  I think the secret is the moistness and fluffiness from the sour cream. 

What can a creative mom do to get school kids try whole wheat banana bread?  For marketing purposes, I added some chocolate chip garnish, so they can try my home baked goodies.  And sprinkled a wee bit of cinnamon sugar on top... I got rave reviews!!!  No one noticed that I used half whole wheat flour in the recipe.  

Fluffy and Moist Sour Cream Banana Bread

makes 4- 7"x3" loaf pans

3/4 cup butter (I used non-hydrogenated soft margarine)
3 cups white sugar (I decreased to 2 1/2 cups)
3 eggs
6 very ripe bananas, mashed (I used 5 large ripe bananas)
1 (16 ounce/2 cup) container sour cream (I have used light sour cream, plain yogurt and combination of both)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking soda
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (2 cups whole wheat flour + 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour)
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional (I used chocolate chips in the batter + on top instead)

Preheat oven to 300F.  Grease four 7x3 inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon.  Mix in salt, baking soda and flour.  Stir in nuts (or chocolate chips, if desired). Divide into prepared pans.

Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

- Adapted from Allrecipes.com:  Sour Cream Banana Bread

Note:  I have baked this as mini muffins, muffins, mini loaves and in loaf pans.  It is a very flexible recipe that can handle substitutions and changes, if needed.  I have also baked this at 350F for mini muffins and mini loaves.  Please check the times accordingly so you don't overbake!  

Mini muffins made without any nuts or chocolate chips. 

I had to promise the school kids that I will bring more next time!  I couldn't cut my last loaf fast enough for them!  That is the biggest form of flattery for this mom!  They really made my day.

Have a wonderful day!

Enjoy!

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Maple Yogurt Banana Muffins

It has been too long since I posted a recipe!   We had a huge change in routine ever since we started karate and violin lessons for all 3 children and mommy!  On top of that, I have been getting my flower beds and veggie patches ready for our short and late growing season.  No wonder I'm tired these days...  

Whew!   

I had a craving to make banana muffins.  Is that an odd notion? Even with my sudden food allergies, I still like to bake things I cannot eat.  It's the act of baking that makes me happy.  I pray that one day, my body will heal itself and I can enjoy the same foods as my family.  In the meantime, it hasn't stopped me from making their favourite classics, like banana muffins. 

I used my Honey Whole Wheat Banana Muffins recipe and used maple syrup and plain yogurt instead of honey and buttermilk.  Hubby had the difficult task of tasting these muffins and he declared them "good".  The children enjoyed them too with a glass of milk after school snack.  They were also convenient for a quick and easy breakfast.   

Maple Yogurt Banana Muffins

makes 12 regular sized muffins 

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

½ cup wheat germ

2 Tbsp ground flax seed

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 large egg

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup plain yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup canola oil, melted butter or coconut oil, melted (I used melted butter)

4 bananas, mashed (between 1-2 cups, it's a flexible recipe!)

Preheat oven to 400F

Mix all dry ingredients together.  Add egg, maple syrup, yogurt and vanilla to the dry ingredients.   Add bananas and melted butter.  Mix until the ingredients are well blended together. 

  

Scoop batter in 12 greased or lined muffin tins, each about ¾ full. 

Bake about 15 min or until until done. Check the muffins around 10-12 minutes.  Mini-muffins were done around 10-12 minutes, so check accordingly.

 - Adapted from 100 Days of Real Food:  Whole Wheat Banana Bread

My kiddies prefer the "mini" muffin size for their little hands.  I filled each greased mini muffin cavity up to the top.  I was able to make 24 mini muffins and 2 regular sized muffins in paper lined ramekins.  The mini-muffins were done baking around 10-12 minutes.  

Enjoy!

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UBC Ponderosa Cake (Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake)

UBC is short for University of British Columbia, my alma mater.  UBC Food Services named this yummy banana chocolate chip coffee cake after the Ponderosa Cafeteria on campus.  It is wonderful with coffee, tea or a glass of cold milk.  

Making this cake brings back fond memories of my undergraduate days.  At UBC, I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Laboratory Science (BMLSc) from the Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine.  I figure this entry will give my children an insight of my time at university.

I learned much of my ability to analyze, troubleshoot and solve problems during my last two years of BMLSc.  I am so grateful for that.  After taking intensive organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, toxicology, histology, photo-microscopy and other laboratory related courses, I am thankful for these skills.  I can't believe I even defended my undergraduate thesis in front of a panel of professors! Back then, I never realized that I was taught how to think and not memorize.  UBC helped shape my way of thinking at work and at home.  

Now, I am thankful that I can figure out how to tweak and create recipes, fix leaky toilets and make "boo-boo's" feel better!  

 

This is a very easy sour cream banana cake.  There is a layer of brown sugar, cinnamon and chocolate chips in the middle and on top.  Normally, there should be double the amount of chocolate chips but this time I used half.  

 

After 45 minutes, it's done!  I wanted to use my new 7"x9" pyrex glass pan instead of an 8"x8".  This recipe can be easily doubled for a 9"x13" pan.  I normally double this and freeze it, but I only had 1/2 cup sour cream left.  I think plain or greek yogurt will work too.  

Wanna come over to my place for a cup of coffee? 

UBC Ponderosa Cake 

makes 1- 8"x8" cake

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup mashed bananas (approx. 2 bananas)

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup sour cream (I used 7% light sour cream)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup chocolate chips (I used half) 

Cream butter and granulated sugar. Add egg, then vanilla and bananas. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add to banana mixture alternately with sour cream. 

Pour half of batter into greased 8" square pan. Mix cinnamon and brown sugar together. Sprinkle half on top of batter, then half of chocolate chips. Repeat layers. 

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until cake tester in middle comes out clean.

- Adapted from AdrienLiem.ca: UBC Ponderosa Cake

The kiddies (and hubby) enjoyed this for breakfast this morning!  I started my day with yummy bowl of steel cut oatmeal instead. 

Have a wonderful day!

Enjoy!

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Honey Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

I told my kids that the brown spots on ripening bananas were "brown sugar spots".  The more spots, the sweeter they are... and that's how I got my kiddies to eat bananas as they ripened.  So if I want to make banana bread or banana muffins, I have to hide my ripe bananas or else they would be all gone!

I had 4 bananas that were ripe for baking.  I was inspired by my friend's gorgeous Banana Chocolate and Peanut Butter Muffins!  Alas, I am allergic to chocolate and hubby and the kids are allergic to peanuts.  Instead of chocolate and peanut butter,  I used different ingredients.  My last batch of whole wheat blueberry bran muffins turned out really good and moist, so I'll go whole wheat again.

I used a basic whole wheat banana bread recipe and made my modifications from there.  I wanted to use whole wheat flour, wheat germ, ground flaxseed, buttermilk, honey and coconut oil.  For more information about coconut oil, visit Dr. Oz's article on the Benefits of Coconut Oil.  

The result?  A very pleasant, not too sweet, moist and healthy banana muffin that my family enjoyed.  I will make this one again.  

If you are expecting a super fluffy, sugary sweet and intense banana flavoured muffin/cupcake, this is not it.  I told hubby that the muffin has the taste of honey whole wheat bread with a kiss of banana.  I find that the banana flavour intensifies when they are super ripe and a lot of sugar is added.  

Honey Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

½ cup wheat germ

2 Tbsp ground flax seed

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 large egg

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup canola oil, melted butter or coconut oil, melted (I used coconut oil)

4 bananas, mashed (between 1-2 cups)

Preheat oven to 400F

Mix all dry ingredients together.  Add egg, honey, buttermilk and vanilla to the dry ingredients.   Add bananas and melted coconut oil.  Mix until the ingredients are well blended together. 

  

Scoop batter in 12 muffin tins, each about ¾ full. 

Bake about 12-15min until done. Check the muffins around 10-12 minutes. Mine were done at 12 minutes.   

- Adapted from 100 Days of Real Food:  Whole Wheat Banana Bread

 Enjoy!

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