When I was younger, I really liked routines. One summer during elementary school, I went through the TV Guide looking for all of my favorite shows. I made a schedule, from 7am to 10pm, Monday through Friday, of all the shows I wanted to watch. I was kind of a loner. I didn’t watch every show every day, but I think I liked having that little custom guide to search over when I was bored. It was easier than flipping through channels.
In sixth grade, I was getting a little older and starting to get into music. I was also at an age where I felt it was acceptable to watch MTV and not have to watch it at a low volume and flip to Nickelodeon when I thought I heard my parents coming. Everyday after school I would run home from the bus stop, pour a bowl of Banana Nut Crunch cereal with 2% milk, plop into my bean bag chair, and watch the show MTV Jams. One of my favorite videos of the time was “Nice & Slow” by Usher, which has lyrics that are wildly inappropriate for a 12-year old. Other favorites were Lauryn Hill, DMX, “Hard Knock Life” by Jay-Z, and D’Angelo’s “Untitled (How Does It Feel).”
I looked forward to relaxing with that crunchy bowl of cereal each day. This banana nut crunch muffin recipe reminds me of those times.
This recipe calls for buttermilk. To make your own, put 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup. Fill the measuring cup with milk (soy works too) to the 1/2 cup line. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
Banana muffins topped with a Banana Nut Crunch cereal streusel.
Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cups flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups mashed banana, about 3 medium bananas
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes
- about 1 cup Banana Nut Crunch cereal
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Line 16 cups of two muffin pans with paper liners and spray with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar.
In a small bowl, mix the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and beat just until they’re incorporated.
Add the melted butter and beat. Stir in the mashed bananas.
Pour the batter evenly into the muffin cups.
In a small bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, and salt together. Add the butter and rub into the mixture until clumps form. Add the cereal and toss.
Evenly sprinkle the granola topping onto the muffins. Bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.