Recipe: Banana-Mango Muffins

Banana-Mango Muffins
Source: The Hay Day Country Market Cookbook by Kim Rizk

These muffins are very moist and keep well in an airtight container for two to three days. The batter itself keeps well in the refrigerator for a couple of days, which means you can scoop out enough for a few fresh muffins each morning.

8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 large bananas)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain yogurt
Diced flesh of 1 ripe mango

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter 18 muffin cups.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.Add the mashed banana and vanilla and blend in. (The mixture will look slightly curdled, but it will pull togerher once the dry ingredients are added.)

In another bowl, whisk togerher the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture in batches, alternating with the yogurt. Mix until all the dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in the diced mango.

Fill the prepared muffin cups two-thirds full, and bake until the muffins have risen and are nicely colored (a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean), 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the muffin cups for about 2 minutes. Then turn the muffins out onto a wire rack so they're bottom side up, and allow them to cool for a few minutes more before serving.

Note: When you're baking an odd number of muffins, avoid overbaking the muffins and protect the empty muffin cups by filling the empty cups halfway with water.