Banana Soy Muffins

The inspiration for both this recipe and photo came from a beautiful book I recently acquired. Like so many of the food publications that come out of Australia, Marie Claire Comfort – Real Simple Food is stunning in both the aesthetics and content. The photography is impeccable, as is the styling, and the recipes are mouth-watering.

These delicate and airy muffins are a perfect breakfast or snack-time treat, and cute to look at as well. To give the muffins a pretty, rustic touch, use squares of dampened parchment paper to line the muffin-tins, then tie with cooking twine when they come out of the oven.

• 3 large bananas, peeled
• 2 cups / 280 g flour
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsps baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 1 cup / 250ml soy milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp natural vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup / 80g brown sugar
• 1 stick / 115g melted butter

For topping

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 tbsp raw sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F 180°C. Fill 12 muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.

Mash 2 bananas in a large bowl. Sift flour, cinnamon and baking powder over the bananas. Make a well in the center and add a pinch of salt. In another bowl, whisk together soy milk, eggs, vanilla extract, brown sugar and melted butter. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry and lightly fold togehter.

Spoon into the prepared muffin tins. Cut a banana into 12 slices and top each muffin with a piece.

For topping: Combine cinnamon and raw sugar and sprinkle over the muffins.

Bake for 25 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Remove to a wire rack for the muffins to cool.

In Italy you can find the book here.