Banana Cream Cheese Muffins. With A Laugh.

I'd been thinking to myself all day that I should write something today...not about baby, and maybe best about food. So I happened to stumble across this recipe for the delicious looking muffins while browsing a blog over at Shue Love. In my pregnant state, I thought I should make them that very moment and freeze them for post baby (it's really all I think about right now....how can I prepare for later? Can anyone relate?). I quickly ran to the store to get the only ingredient I needed, cream cheese, and began the baking process. They turned out delicious, but please keep reading to find out why they are muffins "with a laugh". The recipe originally came from How To Simplify.

Banana Cream Cheese Muffins

Muffins 

Makes 1 dozen.

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Cream cheese filling

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg

Crumb topping 

• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

Combine 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In a separate bowl, mash the bananas and then beat together the bananas, sugar, egg, melted butter and vanilla extract.  Combine banana mixture with the flour mixture until just moistened.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups (leave a little batter to top the cream cheese filling).

Create the cream cheese filling by mixing together all three of the ingredients. Pour a tablespoonful onto the batter in the muffin cups. Top the cream cheese with the remaining muffin batter.  

Create the topping: use a fork and mix together the brown sugar, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, cinnamon and butter until crumbly.  Sprinkle mixture over the batter.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Here's the "laugh" bit. I have been experiencing pregnancy brain. It is a true phenomenon.... When mixing all the different parts, I forgot to mix the flour with the banana mixture portion even though it was all ready to go in a separate bowl. So I poured the banana mixture into my little muffin cups, then added my dollop of cream cheese filling. All the while I was thinking to myself, "I don't think I'm going to have enough batter left to top off the cream cheese....". Then I looked over and saw the flour mixture sitting there. Ooops. I was able to recover the muffins by dumping out all the muffin cups, then adding the flour, then repouring into the muffin cups and finally adding the crumb topping. The only downfall is the filling is mixed within. I'll have to see how making it more of a "filling"goes next time. Did you laugh? I think this is why my mother & Lyle are always looking over my shoulder and asking questions when I cook! But they are delicious!! I must say.

Overall I found the recipe to be very simple and easy to make. I wish I hadn't messed it up because I thought the cream cheese filling was perfect and didn't blend in with the rest of the batter. I'll make another batch once my next bunch of bananas browns. Want to try one? Make them yourself or just come over and visit us once Little is born! 

lauren