Banana Pecan Moufflet

So, do you love to spread cream cheese on your banana bread too?  Have a bit more fun with it by piping sweetened cream cheese between layers of banana muffin!  I call this a moufflet because some believe that French word is the origin of our word, muffin, AND it reminds me of a muffaletta with all those levels of goodness. The real credit goes to my brother Ben, however, for suggesting the structure. Love ya - mean it!

I use the Williams-Sonoma banana-nut bread recipe, which my dad said reminded him of his mother's banana bread.  That being the family equivalent of a Michelin star, I added only cream cheese whipped in the mixer with lemon juice and sugar.

Later in the year, when my peeps are trying to find homes for their excess zucchini, I'm going to do the same thing.  In the autumn, it's like a mini pumpkin roll, all to yourself.  But more on that later.

Williams-Sonoma Banana-Nut Bread

Ingredients:

6 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 or 3 very ripe bananas (about 1 1⁄2 cups)
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1⁄2 cup buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1⁄2 tsp. salt
3⁄4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, pecans
 or hazelnuts- I used some of my stash of southside Virginia pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F. I put papers in 15 muffin tin cups.  You can also make this in a loaf pan and bake about an hour.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the bananas and eggs and beat until smooth. Add the buttermilk and beat just until combined.

In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, salt and nuts. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and beat just until combined. The batter should be slightly lumpy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  FYI, today I used self-rising flour as an experimental shortcut, omitting the leavening agents, and it worked fine.

Pour the batter into the muffin tins, only about 2/3 full, and bake 30 minutes or, as usual, until golden brown.

While the muffins cool for about 20 minutes, I put an 8 ounce package of cream cheese into the mixer and whipped it into creamy goodness.  To that, add about a teaspoon and a half of lemon juice and a 1/2 cup of sugar and whip some more.

Place a muffin on its side and, using a serrated bread knife, cut it into 3 disks, leaving the muffintop as the last third.

For me, piping was the easiest way to apply the cream cheese mixture and avoid crumbs.  Also, it looks kinda pretty from the sides.

  

I might even send some to my little brother.