Banana Mini Muffins

You can now say I am OBSESSED with the mini muffin tin Spice brought home several weekends ago. Things are just so cute in miniature sizes!

Random though...mini muffins always make me think of that episode of Friends where Ross tries to get Ugly Naked Guy's apartment. He sends him mini muffins while other people are sending extravagant gifts to try to win the lease. Long story short, he ends up getting the apartment. But, it wasn't because of the mini muffins ;)

I had some bananas to use up, so I made these cute little Banana Mini Muffins. They turned out really well. I didn't use the orange juice, because we didn't have any. Didn't use any nuts and added cardamom and cloves.

My only qualm with the mini muffin tin is that we only have one, so each time I take something out of the oven, I have to wait for it to cool and then remove it from the pan, rinse it off and re-load it with whatever I'm making. Sort of time-consuming and obnoxious. Oh-well, all for the love of baking =)

Banana Mini Muffins
Adapted from Vintage Victuals

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pasty flour
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (I used 2 large bananas)
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend together the shortening and sugar. Add buttermilk, eggs and vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix together the flours, spices, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well. Add the mashed bananas and mix well.

Grease a mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Fill each hole about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Cool completely on wire racks. When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.