#MuffinMonday: Banana Bread Kit Kat Muffins

We’ve all had kitchen fails - an ingredient is missed, the cake is overbaked (or underbaked), the bundt cake sticks to the pan, you name it.

So this weekend I had a major cupcake baking fail. I had plans to have a breakfast date with a good pregnant friend of mine who is having a girl in 4 weeks so I had planned to make these cute raspberry cupcakes. Now the disaster began with the cupcakes itself - I got kind of lazy and didn’t use a mixer. Once baked, the centers kind of sunk in but I figured that wouldn’t matter since the frosting would cover it up. Then came the real #epicfail.

I was in a rush to get the cupcakes done so I only softened the butter for about 10-15 minutes. MAJOR MISTAKE! Then the recipe was poorly written, telling me to add way too much raspberry puree for just 1 1/2 sticks of butter. That being said, the buttercream was a mess - it was separating and even after whipping the crap out of it, it was the ugliest piping job ever.

I got so pissed and threw the entire thing away. Wait, I taste-tested a cupcake first, which tasted just fine, but I was pissed about the entire situation and tossed everything.

With this aggravating, frusting baking fail, I learned a couple of things:

1. Don’t take shortcuts! If you’re rushed or you’re not in the mood to bake, don’t do it. Save it for another time.

2. Soften the butter completely before making buttercream!

And I think that’s about it.

As for these banana bread Kit Kat muffins, they were definitely a success. The muffins were so moist and light with just a bit of Kit Kat bars here and there (I didn’t add a whole lot since these will be my breakfast muffins and I didn’t want to be hopping all over the place with a sugar rush). But the best part about these was the Kit Kat crumb topping swirled right into the batter. It gave such a crunchy, sweet bite, and complemented beautifully with the banana base.

I can’t wait to have these for breakfast tomorrow with a nice cup of coffee. YUM!

So here’s how you make this:

Let’s first start with the crumb topping by combining the Kit Kat crumbs, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon.

Next, we’ll combine the dry ingredients - flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Go ahead and mash up 2 very ripe medium-sized bananas.

Then we’ll add the milk, oil and egg.

As always, we’ll combine the wet to dry ingredients. Be sure not to overwork the batter.

Go ahead and stir in the cut-up Kit Kat bars.

Now we’ll divide the batter up, sprinkling on the crumb topping and swirling it right into the batter with a toothpick.

Then pop these babies into the oven for about 15-17 minutes.

Once they’re out of the oven, go ahead and dive right in!

Muffin Monday is an initiative by Baker Street. A culinary journey of sharing a wickedly delicious muffin recipe every week. Drop in a quick line to join her on her journey to make the world smile and beat glum Monday mornings week after week.

One year ago: Summer Breakfast Hash

Banana Bread Kit Kat Muffins (adapted from My Adventures in the Country):

Yields 8 muffins

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 6 Kit Kat bars, diced

For the crumb topping:

• 6 Kit Kat bars, crushed
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside.

To make the crumb topping, combine Kit Kat crumbs, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together bananas, milk, oil and egg.

Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist.

Add Kit Kat bars and gently toss to combine.

Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin tray. Top each muffin with 1 teaspoon crumb topping, swirling into the batter using figure eight motions.

Place into oven and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

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