Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Blueberry Banana Buckwheat Babycakes

Well, that is quite a mouthful...blueberry...banana...buckwheat- babycakes...try saying that 3 times fast. Ah! Well, the name for these sweet muffins fits the bill because they are amazingly filled with blueberry and banana sweetness with the perfect blend of fresh buckwheat and whole grains. And why not call these sweet little muffins 'babycakes'? That's really just what they are, a sweet little 'baby' cake. Not too big and not too much, just a sweet touch of goodness.
I made these for my toddler. Okay, who am I kidding?  I made these for my toddler... and myself. So sweet and cute in every way, and the muffins are pretty good too. I made these on a whim the other day when me and my son were looking for some fun in the kitchen. I forget how much I love to make a yummy blueberry muffin with lots of texture and flavor. These just hit the spot. Perfect muffin. After having another, I declared to my family my newest favorite muffin recipe.
This recipe contains all whole grains and less sugar than the average cake. You could easily have these muffins pass as cupcakes with a little frosting, hm maybe a lemon frosting or glaze? Or next time I think I will try and make this recipe in a sweet bunt cake pan or coffeecake tin. They are so moist, sweet and hearty- such a great healthy combo.
I used some freshly ground buckwheat flour that I ground myself from buckwheat groats. I used my magic bullet, but you could use any high-powered blender or if you have a Vita-mix- then you are truly blessed. I blend the groats at about 1 cup at a time to get about 1 1/4 cups of flour. It may seem like I am making it more difficult than it needs to be, but trust me it is very simple. And, nothing beats fresh ground flour in baked goods. Especially gluten-free baked goods.
Blueberry Banana Buckwheat Babycakes Recipe
1 1/4 cup of freshly ground buckwheat flour (1 cup of buckwheat groats ground in grinder/blender)
3/4 cup of whole grain sweet sorghum flour
1/2 cup of organic millet flour
3/4 cup of sucanat or coconut palm sugar
3 TB of chia seed meal
2 ts. of baking powder
1 ts. of baking soda
1/2 ts. of sea salt
1/2 ts. of each ground: cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger

1/3 cup of baking oil: grapeseed, light olive oil, or liquid coconut oil
3 ripe mushed bananas (1 cup of banana puree)
20-25 drops of pure vanilla liquid steiva (I used NuNatural's)
*buttermilk mixture*
1 cup of non-dairy milk (I used So Delicious Coconut Milk) -mixed with 2 TB of fresh lemon juice
1 heaping cup of frozen blueberries

optional: zest of 1 lemon

First, to make the buttermilk mixture pour 1 cup of non-dairy milk (I love using So Delicious' coconut milk beverage) in a small bowl, pour 2 TB of fresh lemon juice over the milk and let sit by itself for 5-10 minutes until cultured. Then, in a large mixing bowl, blend all of the dry ingredients together well. Then add the oil, bananas and stevia. Then add the buttermilk mixture and mix well together. The batter should be not too wet, and have some texture. Then fold in the frozen blueberries- and be careful not to mix too much to let the berries bleed all over the batter. Then scoop the batter with a 1/3 cup measuring cup into either greased or papered muffin tins. This recipe will make 12 muffins. 


Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Until they are golden brown and baked through. Check with a toothpick to make sure. Let cool 10-15 minutes before moving from the tins. 
Some notes:
-You can omit the stevia and add another 1/2-3/4 cup of more sugar if you desire. I prefer to keep as little sugar as possible, so I enjoy the use and flavor of the stevia. If you do omit the vanilla stevia, then I suggest adding a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract as well.

-You could fresh blueberries if you want. Or add a different berry if you prefer- this recipe is perfect for the addition of a berry because it is so hearty and filling.

-This recipe is easily made vegan with the addition of the chia seeds and coconut milk, but if you want to add eggs you can add 2 eggs and omit 1/2 cup of milk and half of the chia seed meal. That will allow you to add eggs without having too much liquid in the batter.

-You could try making this recipe with 2 1/2 cups of your favorite GF flour blend, but I really recommend trying to make it with fresh buckwheat flour and a whole grain combo like I created. Lots of nutrition and whole grain goodness without making a dry and crumbly muffin. If you need a sub for either the sorghum or millet flour, then brown rice flour will work well.
I was going to say that this recipe would be best if enjoyed within a few days of baking, but then I thought about how you probably won't have any left laying around. But, if for some reason you do... :) Then you can freeze these muffins as well. Great for an easy pull from the freezer breakfast on the go. I would also recommend this recipe as an easy GF whole grain muffin mix for any beginner gluten-free bakers out there. It really is great being gluten-free with these babycakes.

Hope you have a great day!

Much love, as always,

Stephanie

3 comments:

  1. Holy yumoly, Stephanie! This is blueberry heaven!!!!!

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  2. Those look so yummy! And I think I have some bananas that will be just about ripe enough in a day or two....

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  3. Thanks Gail and Trisha for your comments. Definitely worth trying with those ripened bananas :)

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