We love banana bread, banana muffins, banana anything! I make banana nut bread for my family now and then, but wanted to make something a little different. I woke up in the middle of night about a week ago thinking, Banana Muffins with Coconut! I kid you not! I know, it's weird. Don't judge me.

So, I made the muffins, and oh-my-word, they are so fabulous!! Adding cream cheese icing made them decadent, but you can certainly make them without it if you are calorie counting. They are delicious either way!

Banana Muffins with Toasted Coconut

Ingredients Muffins

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

¾ cup rice flour

½ cup turbinado sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup low fat buttermilk

1 cup mashed very ripe banana

⅛ cup applesauce

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon Baker’s Secret*

½ cup coconut plus 2 tablespoons, toasted Icing 6 ounces Neufchatel Cheese

½ cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

36 banana chips Instructions Toast coconut on low under broiler until lightly browned Set oven to 375 degrees Line 36 mini muffin tins with paper cups or spray with cooking spray In large bowl, stir together flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and Baker’s Secret In another bowl, using a whisk, mix the banana, buttermilk, applesauce, egg, vanilla and coconut Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, just until blended well Fill muffin tins three-quarters of the way Bake for 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean Cool completely Blend Neufchatel Cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Lightly spread icing on cooled cupcakes Top muffins with remaining toasted coconut and one banana chip stuck in center

Banana Muffins with Toasted Coconut 0 from 0 votes Print Recipe Pin Recipe Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 10 mins Total Time 25 mins Servings 36 Ingredients 1x 2x 3x Muffins

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

¾ cup rice flour

½ cup turbinado sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup low fat buttermilk

1 cup mashed very ripe banana

⅛ cup applesauce

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract I use Nielsen Massey, my favorite!

½ teaspoon Baker’s Secret from The Spice & Tea Exchange

½ cup coconut plus 2 tablespoons toasted

Icing

6 ounces Neufchatel Cheese

½ cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

36 banana chips Instructions Toast coconut on low under broiler until lightly browned

Set oven to 375 degrees

Line 36 mini muffin tins with paper cups or spray with cooking spray

In large bowl, stir together flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and Baker’s Secret

In another bowl, using a whisk, mix the banana, buttermilk, applesauce, egg, vanilla and coconut

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, just until blended well

Fill muffin tins three-quarters of the way

Bake for 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean

Cool completely

Blend Neufchatel Cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until creamy.

Lightly spread icing on cooled cupcakes

Top muffins with remaining toasted coconut and one banana chip stuck in center Tried this recipe? Let us know how it was!

*Order Baker's Secret directly by calling 941-301-7629 to get free shipping! Just tell them you saw it here.