Hummingbird Muffins - Prepare from Scratch

      Classic hummingbird cake, a moist spiced cake containing bananas, pineapple, pecans, and cream cheese frosting, is reimagined as delightful muffins ideal for breakfast on the go. These muffins boast a soft texture due to the moisture from the fruit and the inclusion of sour cream in the batter, along with a creamy swirl of tangy Cream Cheese Filling baked right in the center.

      Yields 12 muffins.

      **Ingredients:**

      - 2½ cups (280 grams) unbleached cake flour

      - 2½ teaspoons (13 grams) baking powder

      - 1¼ teaspoons (4 grams) kosher salt

      - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

      - 2 (8-ounce) cans (454 grams) crushed pineapple in juice, drained thoroughly

      - 1 cup (227 grams) mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas)

      - 1 cup (220 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar

      - ¾ cup (180 grams) sour cream, at room temperature

      - ⅓ cup (76 grams) unsalted butter, melted and warm (around 110°F/43°C to 115°F/46°C)

      - ¼ cup (56 grams) neutral oil

      - 2 large eggs (100 grams), at room temperature

      - 1 tablespoon (13 grams) vanilla extract

      - ¾ cup (85 grams) finely chopped toasted pecans

      - Cream Cheese Filling (see recipe below)

      - Garnish: finely chopped pecans

      **Instructions:**

      1. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

      2. In a larger bowl, combine the pineapple, bananas, brown sugar, sour cream, melted butter, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Gradually mix in the flour mixture until just blended. Gently fold in the pecans. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

      3. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line every other cup of two (12-cup) muffin pans with paper liners.

      4. Using a ½-cup spring-loaded scoop, fill the prepared muffin cups with batter (approximately 124 grams each).

      5. Place the Cream Cheese Filling into a pastry bag, trimming a ½-inch opening at the tip. Pipe about 1½ tablespoons (25 grams) of filling into the center of each muffin batter, avoiding contact with the bottom or sides of the cups. Use a wooden pick to swirl some filling into the top of the batter. If desired, sprinkle with chopped pecans.

      6. Bake for 5 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the muffin (not the filling) comes out clean, and an instant-read thermometer reads 205°F (96°C), around 14 to 16 more minutes. Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes. Serve warm or transfer from pans to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

      **Pro Tip:** Chilling the muffin batter overnight helps achieve tall, bakery-style domes for your muffins.

      Let us know how it turned out!

      **Cream Cheese Filling**

      **Yields about 1 1/3 cups.**

      - 1 (8-ounce) package (226 grams) cream cheese, softened

      - ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar

      - 1 tablespoon (8 grams) all-purpose flour

      - 1 large egg (50 grams), at room temperature

      - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

      1. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and flour at medium speed until smooth and well mixed, about 1 to 2 minutes, pausing to scrape the bowl's sides.

      2. Add the egg and vanilla, then beat at medium speed until smooth and well combined, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl again. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

      Let us know how it was!