For Emily

My niece is probably my blog's youngest follower. Like all the kids in my extended family, she is a foodie. Here's a recipe for one of her requests, easy enough for a budding epicurean to make on her own.

Coconut Banana Muffins

170g softened butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon molasses (optional)

1 cup mashed very ripe bananas

(usually 3 bananas)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup dessicated coconut

(if you omit the coconut, increase flour measurement to 1 3/4 cups)

Preheat oven to 175 deg C. Beat all the ingredients together at high speed with an electric mixer. Line 18 muffin pans and fill with batter, about 3/4 full as the batter will rise while baking. Bake for 20-25 minutes.