Rich flavor and pleasant sweetness with apple and banana together! This recipe works equally well as a delicious muffin or dressed with a frosting for a yummy cupcake. We made this recipe for both our little ones’ birthdays this year in cupcake form and found it incredibly scrumptious! I have adapted the recipe to be soaked as well (in incorporate the benefits of breaking down the phytates), if you desire. I have no doubts this could be easily be used as a soaked cake baked in a 13×9 inch pan, so that is the next experiment!
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (or 2 cups sprouted flour and skip the soaking!)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup sucanat or rapadura
- 2 eggs (or flaxseed binder – this works perfectly well if you don’t have eggs! I would know since I didn’t have eggs the second time.)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup cultured buttermilk, kefir, yogurt, or acid medium of your choice
- 1 cup ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 apples – peeled, cored and shredded
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin cups, or use paper liners. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the coconut oil and sucanat/rapadura. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and buttermilk/yogurt/kefir. Beat in the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Fold in the mashed bananas and shredded apples. Fill each muffin cup full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool.
Soaking Adaption: Combine flour, coconut oil, acid medium (buttermilk, yogurt, etc), and an additional 1/4 cup warm filtered water. Mix thoroughly and then cover and leave at room temperature for 12-24 hours. After soaking, add the sucanat/rapadura, eggs, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly as there may be small clumps of soaked dough that needs to be broken down. Fold in the mashed bananas and apples. Gently and quickly incorporate the salt, baking soda and baking power. Fill each muffin cup full. Bake as described above.
Frosting: For a yummy but rather unhealthy frosting, I used 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 3/4 package cream cheese (softened), and 1 Tbsp milk. Fabulous!
Makes 14-15 cupcakes.
I’m wondering have you made this into a bread?
No, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Just double your baking time.
Thanks!!! I’ll let you know how it turns out! I have some bananas I need to use up!
I love your website!!! I’m a newly married, mom-to-be and I’m finding so many wonderful ideas! I was curious though, do you use your mixer for these? I know most muffins don’t require a mixer, but I wasn’t sure. Thank you!
Yes, I usually use my mixer when making any pastries. But I also use hand mixer as well when I don’t want to dirty the big guy.
Thank you so much!
I have made these muffins several times. We love them!! The only issue I have is that when I soak the ingredients I find it very difficult to mix the next day. The soaked flour is like concrete the next day and I get big chunks in my muffins. Any ideas on what i might be doing wrong or how to fix my issue??
Thanks
Add a bit more water before soaking.
I made these today and they were tender, moist and delicious! Making a double batch this week when I do my monthly freezer cooking/baking! Thanks for the great recipe.
Thanks for this recipe. I made it this morning and it was great. For some odd reason we didn’t have cinnamon so I made it without. I also didn’t have ww flour so used un-bleached all purpose. I used organic raw sugar in replacment also. They were great! My daughter asked to take one for her snack at school today.
I have a question. What is rapadura? I looked for it at our natural grocers and couldn’t find it.
Thanks!
Rapadura is non-refined/non-processed sugar. It’s a brownish color and is much stronger tasting than white sugar. It kind of reminds me a little of a molasses-like flavor. You might have to try a health food store, local co-op or on-line. I like Rapunzel brand.
Rapadura doesn’t come labled as such at my local HFS, although it is by the Rapunzel brand. I think there was some discrepency about the name some time ago… Anyone else hear about this? Either way, the organic whole cane sugar is the same.
Rapadura is the brand name for succanut. If you can’t find rapadura, just look for succanut!
We made these today and they are SO yummy! My 3 year old twins had lots of fun mashing the bananas.
I have to laugh, though, because my coconut oil (from Mountain Rose Herbs) is already melted at room temperature here in the tropics. 
Blessings,
Joy
Perfect! I’ve just been searching for healthful muffin recipes to make as snacks for my daughter! Thank you!
Those sure look good! We’ve been on a muffin kick here lately…
Happy Mother’s Day!!
Hi,
My friend gave me this super simple recipe for healthy cream cheese frosting:
Simply whip softened cream cheese with maple syrup to desired sweetness. It is yummy!
I have somr very ripe bananas that are waiting to be baked in something good and delicious, this is perfect! Can I substitute the coconut oil for butter in equal parts??
Sure thing!
I was wondering, if I used regular w.w. flour and pastry flour I need to soak, but if I use sprouted flour I don’t need to soak, right?
That is correct.
How much stevia would I use if I don’t have rapadura or sucanat?? I’m not used to cooking with anything but sugar. I use stevia in my coffee though and I’m wanting to try it out in recipes. Not sure about conversions though. Thanks!!
Stevia does not work in replacement of sugar in baking as it is too strong in flavor and would not provide the body you need. It is best for sweetening smoothies, yogurt, coffee, and the like.
It is possible to bake with stevia , but you need to add a fruit fiber to make up for lost volume of stevia. the general conversion is 1C sugar= 1/4 tsp stevia powder + 1/4 to 1/2 “fiber” (unsweetened applesauce, canned pumpkin, yogurt) to suit the tast of your recipe.
Lindsay,
I’m looking forward to trying your recipe! Cream cheese frosting and banana muffins make my heart sing!
If you are interested in a simple and naturally sweetened cream cheese frosting try the following:
6-8 oz. cream cheese
2Tbsp. butter (unsalted)
1 tsp.(approx.) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla ext.
honey or stevia, to taste
pinch of salt, opt.
Whip cream cheese and butter together with a mixer. Add other ingredients and whip well.
I keep a container in the fridge handy for muffins, bagels, and toast. It is soft and spreadable right from the fridge.
Enjoy!
I’m about to make some fresh sprouted flour. I think I may try this recipe out.
Thanks!
Yum!! Need to try that recipe!! Thanks for sharing! =)
Have you an adaptation that uses applesauce instead of shredded apples?
This last time I made it I used 1 apple and 1/2 cup applesauce and it worked splendidly, so I know it can be done.
These look fabulous! We love muffin/cupcakes in this house. They make great quick breakfasts, helathy snacks and desserts. I just posted a Wild Maine Blueberry Vanilla Muffin recipe on my blog that could easily be soaked! Just didn’t have time when I made them. Here is a link if anyone is interested: http://heartfelthomemaking.blogspot.com/2010/05/wild-maine-blueberry-vanilla-muffins.html
Hi Lindsay – Thank you for the wealth of information on your blog! I’ve learned so much!
Where do you buy your sprouted flour?
When you order from Mountain Rose Herbs or anywhere online, do you feel the added shipping cost is worth it? Is it really saving money with the additional shipping cost?
And, for the homemade deodorant – Is it better/necessary to use the unrefined coconut oil? Or will refined work just the same?
Where do you buy all your books?
Thanks for answering my questions!
I buy my coconut oil from Mountain Rose Herbs. Even with shipping I save at least $30.
I buy sprouted flour from To Your Health Sprouted Flour Company. I find the savings for coconut oil through MRHs is significant enough that the shipping is doable, especially since I always go in on these kinds of orders with friends and therefore save when we divide the shipping costs. I try to get as much as I can locally but these are the two regular purchases I make online and still save money. For the coconut oil, you can definitely used the refined version for skin care products. I use the unrefined for everything since it would take forever to go through a whole gallon for just body usage, as it is not recommended for consumption. I borrow most books from my library interlibrary loan system, otherwise I buy on amazon for the best prices.
What’s not recommended for consumption? I’m confused… the raw or refined coconut oil?
The refined coconut oil.