Banana and Sticky Date Muffins

I ended up with a few bananas today that needed using up pronto, and as I am a person who doesn't like to waste anything I decided to make some muffins with them. That way we could keep some for ourselves and I could take a few over to our elderly friend Doreen . . .



These aren't just any banana muffin though. These are Banana and Sticky Date Muffins! Scrummo!!



Yep, delicious banana muffins stogged full of lovely sticky dates . . . that get all scrummy and sticky toffee like . . .



Buttery and wonderfully moist from the banana, and topped with a bit of crunch from a tasty brown sugar drizzle.



You could add chopped toasted walnuts or pecans if you wanted to, which would be a lovely addition and give some meaty crunch to go along with all the sticky datedness!



These went down a real treat with a hot cuppa about 11 am. Oh, I do so love the tradition of Elevensies, don't YOU?



* Banana and Sticky Date Muffins*
Makes 12 large muffins
Printable Recipe

Moist and sticky delicious, crammed full of dates and topped with a brown sugar glaze! What's not to like!

200g of plain flour (1 1/2 cups) sifted
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
172g of butter, softened (3/4 cup)
132g of soft light brown sugar (2/3 cup packed)
2 large free range eggs
3 really ripe bananas, peeled and mashed well
1 tsp rum extract
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
75g chopped dates (1/2 cup)

For the glaze:
100g soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS hot water

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line a large sized muffin tins with paper liners, or butter well and dust with flour. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour and baking powder. Place the butter and brown sugar into a bowl. Cream together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the flour mixture. Stir the run and vanilla into the bananas and stir this into the batter, until well incorporated. Stir in the dates. Drop by heaped spoonfuls into the lined muffin cups filling each about 2/3 full.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until risen, lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the centre of one comes out clean!

Stir together the brown sugar, vanilla and hot water until smooth. Drizzle over top of the warm muffins, allowing it to soak in. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.