Banana and Pecan Muffins
I’m always on the lookout for recipes that include pecans—and quite rightly so. We have a pecan farm in South Africa, and I love creating and sharing recipes that allow customers to bake with our own product. It’s a wonderful way to bring the story of the farm into the kitchen. You can view our page, Karoo Pekans, for more information, and if you’re in South Africa, you’re very welcome to place an order there should you reside there.
Back when I was still running my baking school in Cape Town, this banana and pecan recipe was a regular feature in class. I had students make it month after month as part of their practice with fruit-based muffin batters. It follows the creaming method, making it a great teaching recipe, and it requires very little preparation time, perfect for both beginners and busy home bakers.
In this bake, we used mini Bundt pans for a more decorative finish, but the batter works just as beautifully in standard muffin tins. The result is a soft, flavourful bake with just the right balance of banana sweetness and pecan crunch.
Serve these warm, or enjoy them the next day with a light dusting of icing sugar. Simple, comforting, and always a crowd-pleaser.
Banana and Pecan Muffins
Preparation time: 7 – 10 minutes
Baking time: 15 – 20 minutes
Servings: 6 large muffins
Ingredients:
60g Butter, softened
150g Castor Sugar
1 Egg
30ml Passion Fruit Pulp
150g Cake Flour
7ml Baking Powder
2ml Salt
50ml Milk
2 Large or 3 small overripe bananas
50g Pecans, chopped
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180℃. Grease and prepare a 6 tray muffin pan.
2. Cream the butter and castor sugar together until creamy.
3. Add one egg, whisk into the batter and then add the pulp. Mix until well blended.
4. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the mix then fold gently.
5. Add the milk, bananas and pecans. Mix until combined.
6. Spoon into the moulds and bake for 15 – 20 minutes. The muffins tend to brown quicker due to the sugar content of the fruit in them. Guard the baking process carefully. Remove when the muffin is firm to the touch.
7. Serving the muffins while they are still warm is delicious, otherwise allow them to cool and dust with icing sugar.