RECIPE: What did I do wrong with this recipe: REC: Banana Oatmeal Muffins from Saveur . . .

RECIPE:
M

mistral

Well-known member
I made these yesterday evening. I used cupcake liners for each set. I liked the flavor of this recipe very much.

My gut feeling after looking at some other quick banana bread recipes is that there is too much baking powder and the recipe needs at least 1/2 cup more flour.

First 12: I tried cooking by placing the muffin tin on a wet towel atop a cookie sheet (my trick for keeping cakes from getting overdone on the edges). Didn't work; muffins were flat and fell upon removal from the oven, even though they tested done, and tasted (still taste) done). Cooked for about 25 minutes, checked on around 20 minutes. At the 20 minute check, they were flat, some were already starting to sink and they fell even more out of the oven after cooking more)

Second batch of 10: I cooked these without the towel and cookie sheet. Checked at 25 minutes, tested done, tops more brown than first. These did NOT fall but were still flat topped.

Opinions/advice Please?

Banana Oatmeal Muffins from Saveur's website

Yield: makes ABOUT 2 DOZEN

1 1â„2 cups flour (flour fluffed up then dipped and swept to measure)

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1â„2 tsp. baking soda

1â„4 tsp. salt

1 1â„2 cups sugar

8 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 eggs

1â„3 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup rolled oats (full cup, shaken off to level)

1 cup chopped pecans (used walnuts instead)

3 large bananas, mashed (I used 2 smaller, quite ripe bananas)

Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 12-cup muffin pan; set aside. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter on medium-high speed of a hand mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, and beat until smooth. Add buttermilk and vanilla, and then add dry ingredients; beat on low speed until just combined. Add oats, pecans, and bananas and stir until smooth.

Scoop about 1â„3 cup batter into each muffin cup and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, and then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter.

https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Banana-Oatmeal-Muffins/

 
That does seem like too much baking powder. I know if there is

too much in a recipe, the cake will rise and then fall. I don't think I would use more than 1 tsp.

 
I agree, but I would try 1.5. But lots of oatmeal in there. Wonder if it needed to soak a bit first

 
I would adjust the amount of both the soda and powder, due to the buttermilk. (more)

Compare it to this recipe from Betty Crocker for Banana Bread. I would try yours with more baking soda (3/4 or one teaspoon), and cut the powder by at least 2/3 (under a teaspoon). I think you may also be on the right track about more flour. Maybe compensate for that increase by decreasing the rolled oats a bit as well.

I make this recipe as muffins frequently. The tops do not dome up as high as other cake-based muffins, but you might get an improved texture.

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups Gold Medalâ„¢ all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts, if desired

https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/banana-bread/51427396-6764-4b0a-a73a-78c683c703d2

 
Here's a similar muffin that I put together years ago. I've been making it with some variations but

the ingredients are similar and the result is always consistent. I make this regularly as soon as I have bananas that are ready to walk off the counter.

I find that oats absorb a lot of liquid ingredients so prefer, if I put more in or use it as a main ingredient, to soak it a bit before I start to mix in the other ingredients. In this recipe, I use oatmeal to adjust the liquid that is already there as I prefer not to overmix (play around with it too much) since that causes tunneling and peaks.

Hemp & Bran Mighty Muffins

Makes 7 large muffins

1/2 cup natural wheat bran
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 + tsp baking powder
2 eggs
2 very ripe bananas
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk or soured milk
1 1/4 c. large dried cherries
1 1/4 c. coconut, long shred, unsweetened
1/4 c. rolled oats, as needed to final mix
1 1/4 c. + hemp hearts
1 ½ t. vanilla +

Bake at 400 for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Notice that there is no oil or butter in the batter.

 
First I would ask if you overmixed the batter. You really want to just stir to

combine muffin batter. Otherwise it builds too much gluten and they fall.
Then was your oatmeal quick cooking (NOT instant) or just rolled oats that take a long cooking time . That could be a problem.
I agree that over leavening can cause the rise and then fall of a batter but that does not seem to be overly much BP for the quantity of ingredients.

 
Hmmm, this recipe has 2-1/2 cups flour; mine has only 1-1/2 cups. . .

I think I will try the Saveur again (eventually), but try 1 cups of flour. I am saving your recipe!

 
Knowing me, I most likely overbeat it, it seems I always do. And maybe my bananas were. . .

too mushed? They were easily poured and relatively chunk-free after I hand mashed them.

 
The image at Saveur shows flat muffins so I don't think it's wrong...just not want you want

I like high cracked muffins and it's difficult to find recipes with those. Some say to fill the muffin tin all the way to the top (rather than 2/3), but then it just runs over and makes a big flat top like a sombrero, but not in a good way.

It's always disappointing when the taste is what you want...but not the texture or appearance. I still can't figure out why my banana bread doesn't give me the big long crack I used to love. It may be that back in the late 70's I used Crisco and they've changed their product to remove trans fats. Perhaps my wonderful dry cracked top was due to trans fats?? I'd be willing to eat it again jut to get that back.

https://www.thekitchenwhisperer.net/2012/07/22/bakery-style-high-domed-muffins-how-do-they-do-that/

 
It's when I use bananas that I reserve the oatmeal to put in at the end. I never really know how

liquidy they will be and a bit of oatmeal will absorb as it needs to before they're cooked.

If you overbeat it, you'll know as you'll get a peak. (and probably tunnels)

 
Ooooh, thank you for the link . . .

I will try these tips on the Saveur recipe. I really liked the texture the flavor. I think I will try letting the batter rest in the fridge and the other tips.

And about your quickbread loaves cracking--I have only been able to do this once in the past; the bread was cooked in a regular width bread pan. I just did it again about 2 weeks ago, but the bread was cooked in a traditional quick bread pan, the one that is shallower but wider than a normal loaf pan. I had been careful not to overmix the bread.

Maybe I just need to practice more. Look out calories, here I come.

 
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