It’s Friday and I’ve got your weekend entertainment covered with a few things to watch, a couple things to read, and a simple Southern recipe for hummingbird muffins that will knock the taste buds right off your tongue. Ready for the round-up? Let’s go!
Ina Garten, Her New Show, and How to Entertain
Ina Garten is the queen of my heart. Anyone who can slay in the kitchen and maintain BFF status with Taylor Swift is a champion in my book. She lends us kitchen peasants a few noble words of wisdom in this article from Food52. I’m adding this quote from Ina to my list of kitchen mantras: “Food is not about impressing people. In fact, it’s just the opposite: it’s about making them feel comfortable.”
Stevie Wonder Carpool Karaoke
James Cordon is quickly moving his way up the hierarchy of late-night television, but he absolutely stole my heart with this ride along featuring Stevie Wonder. You can tell that James is just pinching himself with glee and disbelief the whole time. Watch it, sing along, and let this little corner of the internet fill your heart with musical joy!
The Birthday Party Project
Every person on the planet deserves the love and joy that comes with being celebrated. The Birthday Party Project is shelling out celebrations by throwing birthday parties for homeless kids across the US. Their motto? “Love each other! Build each other up!” Gosh, we could all use a bit more of that, am I right?
What to Do with Leftover Easter Candy
If you’re like me, you fill your kids’ Easter baskets with all the candies you like. You know, because leftovers. Check out my Easter cake tutorial from last year if you want something fun and spunky to make, and then take a look at this round-up of creative uses for leftover Easter basket candy!
Hummingbird Muffins
You may remember that I’m new to the South. During my first month on the job as dietitian at my small town hospital here in Selma, AL, I got my first taste of hummingbird cake. It was an immediate classic for me. This cake was like banana bread meets carrot cake meets spice cake meets all of my dreams coming true, and I couldn’t get enough of it.
I adapted the recipe for these hummingbird muffins from Bake from Scratch magazine, and I think it may be my new favorite way to eat cake for breakfast. These muffins are moist, lightly sweetened, and topped with a delightful pecan crumb topping and sour cream glaze. True to the original cake recipe, these muffins are sweetened with banana, crushed pineapple, and brown sugar. The cake also boasts the subtle flavor of brown butter which really takes these muffins to the next level. (Update: for some help on browning butter, see my post here!)
These hummingbird muffins would make an excellent breakfast item this weekend, and might be the perfect treat to round out your Easter brunch table too! Give them a try and let me know what you think. Have a terrific weekend and stay tuned for another great spring recipe that I’ll be sharing next week!
You may also like:
Lemon Almond Poppyseed Bundt Cake
Hummingbird Muffins
Based on the classic Southern cake, these hummingbird muffins have a brown butter pecan streusel, a sour cream glaze, and a tender banana and pineapple filled muffin base.
- Author: Kate Wood
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12
Ingredients
For the browned butter
- 1/2 cup (1 stick, 110 gm) unsalted butter
For the streusel
- 1/3 cup (40 gm) flour
- 1/4 cup (55 gm) brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons (50 gm) unsalted butter, cold
- 1/2 cup (55 gm) chopped pecan halves
For the cinnamon sugar sprinkle
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the cake
- 1 large (120 gm) banana, mashed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (115 gm) drained crushed pineapple
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1–1/2 cups (190 gm) flour
- 3/4 cup (150 gm) sugar
- 1/4 cup (55 gm) brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the glaze
- 1/2 cup (60 gm) confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1–1/2 teaspoons whole milk
Instructions
To prepare the browned butter
- Cube the butter and place in a small sauce or fry pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until melted. Once melted, stir frequently to keep the butter moving and watch as the butter slowly begins to brown. You’ll notice little amber colored flecks forming at the bottom of the pan and the butter will give off a nutty aroma. This should take close to ten minutes, but watch closely to avoid burning the butter. Once browned, remove from pan to a separate bowl and place in the fridge to cool to room temp.
To prepare the streusel
- Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Dice the butter and then cut into the flour using the back of a fork or a pastry cutter. Once the butter is well integrated, about pea-sized clumps, toss in the pecan pieces. Place in the fridge to keep cool until use.
To prepare the cinnamon sugar sprinkle
- Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
To prepare the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a muffin pan with 12 paper liners.
- Combine the banana, eggs, pineapple, and vanilla in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed until thoroughly combined and slightly whipped, about 1-1/2 to 2 minutes. Add the cooled, liquid browned butter, and beat to combine. In a small bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients and then add them to the butter mixture. Stir until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Once mixed, scoop 2 tablespoons of batter into the bottoms of each of the muffin tins. (I use a leveled medium-sized cookie scoop for even scoops). Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar sprinkle evenly over each scoop of batter. Then, disperse about 1/3 of the streusel evenly among the 12 muffin tins. Top each muffin with an additional 2 tablespoons of batter, and then sprinkle the remaining streusel on top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing from the pan.
To prepare the glaze
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk. Drizzle over top of the the muffins as desired.
Notes
For some help on browning butter, see my post here: http://thewoodandspoon.com/you-need-to-know-how-to-brown-butter/
Recipe Adapted From: Bake From Scratch
SaveSave
SaveSave
14 thoughts on “Hummingbird Muffins”
These are absolutely delicious. Halved the recipe since it was my first time making them! Good thing – or I would have eaten too many.
★★★★★
The butter elevates these muffins to swoon-worthy! I goofed and didn’t swirl the streusel topping, just plunked it on top and skipped the glaze—and they were fabulous. This recipe is for sure a keeper.
★★★★★
More like 10 stars. I made these for the first time yesterday and my 20 year old grandson came over as I was taking them out of the oven. He wolfed down 2 and proclaimed them to be ‘Freaking Awsome”. This recipe is a keeper!!
★★★★★
hooray! so thrilled to hear this!!
Yummmmm! I’ve never had hummingbird cake!
Have you seen the carpool Karaoke where he makes Sia put a dozen eggs on the backs of her hands? SO good. Also the Adele one is just so good.
Also. Guess what. This time next week it will nearly be Alabama tiiiiiiime x
I CAN’T EVEN BELIEVE YOU’RE COMING!?!?!?!
I love all carpool karaoke. He’s a genius.
Hummingbird cake is one of my favourites and these look absolutely delightful!
Oh, I’m so glad! These muffins may do just the trick then. 🙂
whoa! that drip is mesmerizing, surprisingly i’ve never tried hummingbird cake this looks like a good way to change that
girl– you can find hummingbird in ATL. get on it… or better yet- make one!
Banana bread/carrot cake/spice cake muffins sound like exactly what I want to eat. Yes please.
have you ever had a hummingbird cake?!?!? it’s a MUST TRY.
i love carpool karaoke! sometimes i watch youtube when i shouldn’t be, but i can’t watch them, because i can’t stop laughing and singing and smiling. anyways, these muffins sound so fruity and tender, and anything with browned butter and streusel automatically wins in my book (:
I am OBSESSED with carpool karaoke. so fun. This Stevie wonder one takes the cake for me. Of course I love bieber’s and bruno mars too, b/c obviously…. 🙂