Whole wheat banana bread muffins with apples and pecans
Whole wheat banana bread muffins packed with chopped apples and topped with pecans. These muffins are moist and not dense at all. I provide tips for how to make whole wheat muffins with the moist and light texture.
1 ½cupswhite whole wheat flour, sifted (I am using Prairie Gold: Flour 100% Whole Wheat by Wheat Montana - see my very important note about aerating the flour!)
In a mixing bowl, using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter on high speed for 1.5 minutes. The consistency will be somewhat crumbly. Add egg and continue beating for several more minutes until the mixture becomes fluffy and lighter in color.
Add mashed bananas, Green yogurt, and vanilla extract and continue beating until all ingredients are well incorporated.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over-mix. Fold in chopped apples.
Grease muffin pan. Fill each muffin cup almost to the top (about ¾) - DO NOT FILL MUFFIN CUPS TO THE VERY TOP otherwise they overflow. In fact, with this recipe, I am usually able to fill regular 12 muffin pan plus 2 or 3 separate extra muffin cups.
Bake for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees F in the preheated oven. Watch baking times closely: do not overbake and keep in mind that the "actual" individual oven temperatures might vary. When inserted toothpick comes out clean - the muffins are ready! It could be 20 minutes for your oven, or 30 minutes!
How to make topping (OPTIONAL)
Warm the caramel sauce in a microwave for 5-10 seconds. Using small spoon, drizzle some caramel over the top of each muffin. Sprinkle with chopped and toasted pecans.
Notes
Important note about properly measuring whole wheat flour without scales, just using measuring cups:The proper way to measure whole wheat flour using measuring cups is to aerate it first. This is done either by sifting flour, or aerating it by fluffing it up and whisking it well, then spooning it into the measuring cup, then carefully removing any excess flour with a knife. If you just stick that measuring cup in the bag of flour and scoop some out, you will get a lot more flour than what the recipe calls for. Do aerate the flour, or you will end up with dry dough!If you don't want to use whole wheat flour, here are the substitutions:Use 1 cup all-purpose flour and ¾ cup whole wheat flour. Or if you wish to forgo whole wheat flour altogether, just use 2 cups all purpose white flour *(SIFTED! - see my note above!)*