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Tall golden banana muffins with sugar-crusted domes cooling on a wire rack, one split open

Soft Banana Muffins With Tall Bakery-Style Domes

Soft, moist banana muffins with tall, sugar-topped domes. A short 425°F start gives them a bakery-style rise.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Cooling Time 10 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 222
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 1 3/4 cups 210 g all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt or 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups 338 g mashed very ripe bananas, about 3 large
  • 1/2 cup 113 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled 5 minutes
  • 2/3 cup 145 g packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons alcohol-free vanilla extract
Topping
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Equipment

  • 12-cup standard muffin pan (light-colored metal)
  • Paper muffin liners
  • 12 portion scoop (1/3 cup)
  • Kitchen scale
  • Instant-read thermometer
  • Wire cooling rack

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the center for 15 minutes. Line the muffin pan with paper liners and spray them lightly.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon for 30 seconds, until evenly speckled.
  3. Stir the mashed bananas and brown sugar in a large bowl for 1 minute, until glossy and loose.
  4. Whisk in the melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla until smooth and pale gold, with no egg streaks.
  5. Fold in the dry ingredients with about 15 folds. Stop while a few faint flour streaks remain.
  6. Fill the 12 cups to the rim and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
  7. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, until the tops start to puff.
  8. Without opening the door, lower the oven to 350°F and bake 13 to 15 minutes more, until the domes are deep golden, spring back when pressed, and a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs or the center reads 200°F to 210°F.
  9. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then on a wire rack for 5 minutes, until the liners pull away cleanly.

Notes

Weigh the banana. More than 338 g makes heavy, gummy centers. If short, top up with plain yogurt.
For mini muffins, bake in a greased 24-cup mini pan at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes with no 425°F start.
Storage: 2 days at room temperature, 4 days in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer.