Pumpkin Banana Muffins

These pumpkin banana muffins are a one bowl wonder that I jokingly call my potato masher muffins because I literally mix them all up with a potato masher as you'll see in the step-by-step photos. I mean, you gotta mash the banana, and then you gotta mix the ingredients. Might as well use the same tool. Who needs to wash extra dishes? Not this girl! I came up with this recipe years ago totally on a whim and they have become a cult classic among my friends and fam. Especially with moms!

Here is the original tiny paragraph I wrote back in May of 2014 when I created these pumpkin banana muffins: I realize it's not really the season for pumpkin recipes, but it's kind of a dreary day and I felt like baking something. So, I started rustling around in my kitchen, looking for inspiration. Of course I had a single, over-ripe banana staring at me from my fruit bowl, and upon further investigation, I found a lonesome can of pumpkin purée lingering in my pantry. I decided to introduce the two, and this is what I came up with.

6 years later still making these pumpkin banana muffins

At the time I wrote that little paragraph, my kids were both on swim team and I'd always take a big bag of these to those early, early morning meets to feed my kids and share with the other families. Everyone started asking for the recipe and they really became such a hit. I still make them from time to time and finally took the time to update the old photos.

a few step-by-steps for these simple muffins

These muffins could not be easier as you can see from the photos. I usually do switch to a rubber spatula but you can seriously just use the masher all the way through - I have! The pumpkin and banana work together to make a foolproof, incredibly moist muffin. And if it sounds like an odd combo, I promise it works (and I'm not a banana lover so that's really saying something!). You don't really taste banana it just lends its moisture to the muffin. The pumpkin and cinnamon flavors really shine and you just can't beat the texture. So, so good!

Pumpkin Banana Muffins

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• Author: anita | wild thistle kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 22 muffins 1x

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

dry:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

wet:

• 4 eggs
• 1 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree
• 1 very ripe banana, mashed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup vegetable oil

a few tablespoons brown sugar for topping

 

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Instructions

To prepare:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

On a large piece of parchment or in a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine wet ingredients and mix well. (I used my potato masher and really squash everything together.)

Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, and mix with potato masher, wooden spoon, or rubber/silicon spatula. Don't whisk! Don't over-mix! Muffin batter is supposed to be kind of lumpy and unattractive. Just fold together until the flour is combined.

Scoop batter into muffin tins. I used a large ice-cream scoop and filled them right to the top of the liners. sprinkle tops lightly with brown sugar.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.