What to do during Spring Showers?

Brown Sugar-Banana Coffee Cake Muffins

Notes: To save time when making these individual coffee cakes in the morning, make the streusel (step 1) up to a week ahead; seal in a zip-lock plastic bag and chill. You can also mash the bananas (cover and chill) and butter and flour the muffin pan the night before.

Yield: Makes 6 large or 18 small individual coffee cakes

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup sour cream
  

Preparation

1. To make streusel mixture, in a food processor or a bowl, whirl or mix 3/4 cup flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cut 1/4 cup butter into chunks and add to bowl; pulse mixture or cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, with a mixer on high speed, beat remaining 1/4 cup butter and remaining 1 cup brown sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, until well blended. Beat in mashed bananas.

3. In a small bowl, stir together remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir into banana mixture. Gently fold in sour cream until well blended.

4. Divide batter equally among 6 jumbo (1-cup capacity) or 18 regular (1/3-cup capacity) buttered and floured muffin cups, filling each halfway. Sprinkle streusel evenly over tops of cakes (crumble the streusel first if it sticks together).

5. Bake in a 350° regular or convection oven until streusel is browned and a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a cake comes out with moist crumbs attached, 18 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in cups, then invert pan to remove. Serve warm or let cool completely.