For some reason when I bake muffins with the fan on they sometimes grow noses. These are particularly nosy ones. They didn’t all turn out like this thank goodness, but I’m tempted to stick a couple of eyes on them and some whiskers perhaps.

I made this recipe up, just played around with the basic muffin ingredients. They don’t contain any sugar or butter, just oil and eggs, and lots of banana.

300g sf flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
4 tbps sunflower oil
200ml milk
3 tbsp honey and lemon (something I bought by mistake instead of just honey)90g chopped dates
40 raisins (for Ivy’s benefit, might just stick to dates next time)

Mash the bananas. Mix together the flour, bp, dates and raisins, make a well and add the eggs, milk and oil, mix well. Add the bananas and honey.
Bake for about 20 minutes at 180, with the fan for noses or at a higher temperature without the fan for regular muffins.

Actually they are little cakes but I liked the alliteration. These are lovely fairy-type cakes which contain no sugar and therefore great for little people (and people who don’t like much sugar). I made them for a picnic where a few babies were present. They do contain honey and therefore aren’t good for babes under one.

The recipe is from this great book Finger Food by Jennie Maizels, there are all sorts of recipes for babies and toddlers that get them interested in different textures and eating grown up food rather than mush.

Ingredients

90g butter, softened
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 egg, beaten
85ml milk
1 tbsp runny honey
200g sf wholemeal flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
90g sultanas

Icing
120g cream cheese
1 tbsp runny honey
1 tsp lemon or orange juice (optional)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees
Line a bun tray with 12 paper fairy cases (or 24 petit four cases)
Cream together the butter and bananas, mix in the egg, milk and honey. gently fold in the flour, baking powder and sultanas. Divide the mixture between the cases and bake for about 15 minutes until golden in colour.
Make the icing by mixing all the ingredients together into a smooth paste and spread a little on each cooled cake.

I loved them, Ivy loved them!