Banana Monkey Bread

With the theme of Owls & Monkeys it was almost mandatory that I make a monkey bread and it just so happened that this particular recipe landed in my food mail box the week before the party! I couldn't have asked for better timing or a better recipe!

This one was another big hit, especially with the big boys. Tasting almost like mini-donut holes, though a bit denser, the banana was just a hint of flavor without overpowering, which was wonderful. The kneading took longer than the original recipe called so I would add more flour to the dough ahead of time.

Although the ingredients say this is a quick bread, the process to form these took about 2 hours +bake time. So just keep that in mind when making. Also, I got 20 muffins out of this recipe instead of the 12 noted in the original!

Banana Monkey Bread
Makes ~20 Muffins


Muffins:
3 1/4 C Flour + Extra for Kneading
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/3 C Shortening
1/2 C Buttermilk (I used 1/2 C Milk with 1Tbsp White Vinegar)
2 bananas, mashed

Coating:
1/2 C Butter (melted)
1 C sugar
1 1/4 tsp Cinnamon

Vanilla Glaze:
I used 1 C Sugar Cookie Icing and added 2 Tbsp Milk to thin it out

-In a medium bowl, stir together the Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, and Baking Soda. 

-Cut in the chilled Shortening using a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse meal

-Add the mashed Bananas and Milk and stir together with a fork just until the dough comes together. 

-Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times, adding flour until the dough is no longer sticky.

-Roll dough into tablespoon-size balls. 

-In a small bowl, stir together the Sugar and Cinnamon. 

-In a separate small bowl, melt the Butter. 

-Roll dough balls in melted butter, then roll in cinnamon-sugar. 

-Place 4 dough balls in each paper lined muffin cup.

-Bake at 400 for 15-20 mins or until toothpick lest clean. 

-Let cool about 15 mins then drizzle glaze over muffins and let sit another few minutes.

-Enjoy!