We all know the struggle of overripe bananas. They’re a nutritional powerhouse, packed with potassium and fiber, but their prime time is fleeting. Soon enough, those beautiful yellow bananas transform into a mushy mess, and we’re left wondering what to do with them. But fear not, because there’s a delicious solution to this common dilemma.
Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson recently shared her hack for utilizing those overripe bananas – transforming them into mouthwatering banana butterscotch muffins. This recipe, featured on her website and in her 2007 cookbook, *Nigella Express*, is a simple and satisfying way to use up those bananas before they go to waste.
The muffins require just 8 ingredients and take only 20 minutes to bake, making them a quick and easy treat. You’ll need:
* 3 medium bananas (450 grams total weight with skin on) – very ripe
* 125 millilitres vegetable oil
* 2 large eggs
* 250 grams plain flour
* 100 grams caster sugar
* 1⁄2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 150 grams butterscotch chips (or chocolate chips)
Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/gas mark 6/400°F and line a 12-bun muffin tin with muffin papers. Peel and mash the bananas and set aside. Pour the oil into a jug and whisk in the eggs. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, and baking powder. Mix in the egg and oil mixture, followed by the mashed bananas. Gently fold in the butterscotch chips, then divide the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes, and your delicious muffins will be ready!
Nigella’s recipe makes 12 muffins, and you can easily customize them to your liking. Swap out the butterscotch chips for chocolate chips or even white chocolate morsels. Many commenters on Nigella’s Instagram post praised this recipe as a delightful alternative to banana bread, noting how easy it is to make and how well it utilizes those overripe bananas. One person shared, ‘I make these all the time, so easy. No wasting banana,’ while another added, ‘My go-to recipe! I use chocolate chips instead of butterscotch – works well with frozen bananas and they freeze well too!’ So next time you’re faced with a bunch of overripe bananas, don’t throw them away! Instead, turn them into these delightful muffins – a tasty treat that’s both easy to make and delicious to enjoy.
