Plantain Muffins

I have never eaten plantains other than fried and prepared as a side dish in Cuban restaurants. I have never cooked or baked with one either. However, when I happened upon some in the dumpster behind a local grocery store, I had to take them and see what I could use them for. Even though plantains are comparable to bananas in appearance, their tastes are completely different when eaten straight from the peel. I bit into one, not knowing what to expect, and it reminded me of how the white part of a pomegranate smells. Texture-wise, it’s starchier. I didn’t know what to do with my formerly trashed plantains, but thought they could be incorporated into baked goods similar to bananas, still not understanding that they are completely different fruits. I made a few tweaks to this recipe, adding cinnamon and nutmeg, increasing the baking soda and baking powder, and omitting any crumb topping. It initially came out tasting more fruity yet savory than a muffin made with a banana would taste, but I liked it and wanted to share.

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15-20 minutes
Yield: 20 muffins

Ingredients

• 3 overripe plantains
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Line a muffin pan with wrappers or grease lightly to prevent sticking.
2. Mash plantains. Add vegetable oil, white and brown sugar, and egg. Mix until everything is well-combined.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Fold flour mixture into plantain mixture until it is just combined.
5. Preheat oven to 375°F.
6. Spoon batter into the muffin pan so it fills 2/3 of each cup.
7. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned and an inserted knife or toothpick comes out clean.

Fluffy and moist!