Banoffee Muffins

Even if you don’t bake this whole recipe (and you should) I’d be delighted if you took even little bits of it. Specifically, this caramel sauce is truly delightful. It can be used to make pretty much anything taste amazing, from ice cream to cakes to brownies and beyond. Not only that, but it’s super-easy. You don’t need a thermometer or any other gubbins; it’s just a case of chucking it all in the pan. Then, the muffin itself. And the method of making it. This is a hybrid between the standard “all in one” method of cake-baking that involves mixing all the ingredients together and hoping for the best, and the ‘creaming method’ that means you’ve got to spend ages whipping the butter and the sugar. This is neither, and it’s better than both.

This method involves mixing everything together, except the flour. You need really soft or melted butter, for which I like to use the microwave to achieve. This means you can fold the flour in gently at the end and not have a tough, bready cake, whilst still getting a good rise. Without any of the faff of creaming. Go on, give it a go.

Step 1

First, preheat your oven to 190C/170C fan/Gas 5. Grease your muffin tins with plenty of butter or line them with muffin cases. 

Step 2

In a large bowl, place your soft butter (melt in the microwave if in any doubt) in a bowl, and then add in your sugar, eggs and bananas. Mix everything with a wooden spoon until lumpy but there aren’t any visible lumps of butter. 

Step 3

Add in your flour and baking powder (no need to sieve) then gently mix everything together. Again, you don’t want it totally smooth. The flour should be just mixed in and no more. Transfer this mix to your muffin trays and place them in the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until well-risen, golden brown and springy to the touch. 

Step 4

Whilst the cakes are baking, make your caramel sauce. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan, except the salt. Bring it to the simmer, then quickly remove it from the heat. Add the salt, stirring it in very gently. Set this aside until you need it – it will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

Step 5

To assemble, slice your extra banana into 12 thin slices. Place these on top of your baked muffins (it doesn’t matter if they’re cool). Then, simply drizzle on the caramel sauce so it drips all down the sides. And enjoy! 

Top Tip:

This recipe freezes excellently. Simply make everything well in advance of when you want to serve it, but freeze everything separately. Then, when you want to serve, microwave your sauce to melt it and drizzle it over a frozen muffin. Within 10 minutes they’ll be ready to serve. 

Enjoy!