Banana Befuddlement

I wasn't sure whether to post my flops or not. After much internal debate I realised it's not such a bad idea, I can illustrate how flops can be saved and better yet, prevented.

Last week I attempted banana muffins. I halved the recipe (my family complained I am making them fat) and followed the instructions to the tee, but they still sank. I couldn't figure out why, the oven was the right temperature and the cupcakes were in long enough, yet they still sank. It came to me a few days later..... when halving recipes you need less of some ingredients and more of others. In this case, there was too much banana which made the cupcakes slightly heavy and flat.

Below is the recipe:

3 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
170g softened butter (I always make sure that my ingredients are at room temperature, it's never a good idea to soften butter in the microwave)
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
4 very ripe bananas (about 2 cups) mashed
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (350 fahrenheit). Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
2. Reduce speed to low. Mix any remaining wet ingredients in a bowl if needed. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with wet ingredients and ending with dry. Scrape sides of bowl. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
3. Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 20 minutes.
   

I topped them off with chocolate butter frosting and a slice of banana and everyone enjoyed them despite the tops being flat.

Happy baking!