This Old Fashioned Banana Muffin recipe is one that has been in our family at least 3 generations and I while I could likely mix these from memory I frequently pull out the recipe -- mostly for the sake of nostalgia. Interestingly, the recipe as I have it written contains no mixing directions, oven temperature or cooking time. It's handwritten (more accurately, scribbled) in short abbreviation style on a crinkled pink envelope sent from a magazine I haven't read since college. There are scrawls and scratches on the right hand side that faintly show the ratio when one has 8 bananas. The envelope/recipe is splattered in 3 places and at the top of the paper is a 2 line Christmas list for my Dad.
This is the recipe as written:
1 C sug
1/2 c short
1/t tsp salt
2 eggs
2 C flour
1 tsp suda
3 nana
1/2 walnuts
However, here is the complete recipe for moist, full banana flavor muffins.
Old Fashioned Banana Muffins
1 C sugar
1/2 C shortening
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 C all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3 large bananas (or 5 smaller bananas), fully ripened, well mashed
1/2 C walnuts, chopped (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease (butter) 12 place muffin tin.
Cream together sugar and shortening. Add salt.
Add eggs and mix completely.
Add flour and baking soda and gentle fold batter until dry ingredients are damp.
Fold in bananas until they are completely incorporated.
Fold in walnuts if desired.
Caution: do not over mix, especially if using Kitchen Aid mixer
Scoop into muffin tin, filling each about 1/2 full.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Baking length may vary slightly according to your oven.
Cool 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin.
This recipe easily goes into a large loaf pan for amazing banana bread -- bake 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
