Diabetic Friendly Banana Muffin 45

At the Virginia Renaissance Faire, I often get asked if I have anything diabetic friendly. And people dealing with diabetes are delighted when I say, “Yes! I do have diabetic friendly baked goods.” One of my taste testers, who is diabetic, once told me, ” I didn’t know diabetic friendly baked goods even existed” as she happily ate a Diabetic Friendly Cherry Almond Scone.

I decided to begin my experimentation in diabetic baking with banana muffins. Why banana? Because that would be the hardest thing to make diabetic friendly. So why is this recipe called Diabetic Friendly Banana Muffin 45 Because it took me 3 complete reworkings of the flour mix and 45 experiments to develop a banana muffin that had a wonderful banana flavor, was high in fiber, high in protein and low in carbs. 

This recipe is presented as a suggestion and may not be appropriate for all diabetics. Please check with your doctor or dietitian to determine if food items made using this recipe can be safely incorporated into your diet.

See also: Banana Bread, Gluten Free Banana Bread, Vegan Banana Bread and Gluten Free Vegan Banana Bread.

The Inside Scoop

When both volumetric and weight measures are provided, the volumetric measures should be considered approximations. The standard measure for a cup of Splenda is 24 grams. By volume, this measure will be less than 1 cup. Precise measuring is essential for diabetic baking to ensure accurate carbohydrate counts.

Let butter soften to room temperature. To soften quickly, place the butter in a microwave and microwave on low heat until slightly softened but not melted.

I make my own applesauce; this allows me to control the thickness. If using purchased applesauce, place twice the required amount into a small saucepan and cook on a low heat until approximately the same thickness as egg white and applesauce coats a spoon. Cool applesauce to room temperature.

Be sure eggs are at room temperature. Warm eggs hold more air than cold eggs, which means a lighter muffin. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature before cracking, place eggs in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 10 minutes.

Crack eggs into a small bowl before adding to the batter. That way, it is easy to remove any bits of eggshell.

Bananas vary in size; a large banana may be the right amount, or may not be enough and then your muffins lack flavor or may be too much and then your muffins are heavy and dense. Weigh your bananas to ensure you have the right amount.

Fork smash your butter and sliced banana. This way, you will get small chunks of banana in your muffin for extra flavor.

Combine the Diabetic Flour Mix, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl; mix until leaveners and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour; this helps to ensure an even rise.

Wheat flours contain gluten. Extended mixing can create a strong gluten structure, which results in a chewy crumb and a tough crust. Gently stir in or fold the flour mix into the batter by making a well in the middle of your flour and pouring the liquid mix into the middle. This ensures the flour on the bottom of the bowl absorbs liquid. Then, using your spatula, slice down through the middle of the bowl and gently lift the batter on the side and fold over.

Wheat bran is fiber and absorbs moisture poorly. Refrigeration time is essential to allow flours to absorb moisture and reduce the grittiness of the bran. For extended refrigeration time, be sure to label your covered bowl with the name of the batter and the time of refrigeration.

When your muffins are done baking and have cooled for 10-15 minutes, it is important to remove your baked muffins from the pan so that the muffins do not become wet from condensation as the muffins cool.

Print Recipe

Diabetic Friendly Banana Muffins 45

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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By Connie Teunis – Serves: 7 - 8

Prep Time: 30 minutes active, 1-12 hours inactive – Cooking Time: 20 minutes

A diabetic friendly banana muffin with a wonderful banana flavor, rustic texture, high in fiber, high in protein and only 14 carbohydrates.

Ingredients

• 14 g/ 1 T Butter, softened
• 150 grams very ripe, but not soft, Banana, approximately 1 large
• 47 g/ 3 T Unsweetened Applesauce, thickened
• 1 T. Canola Oil or other unflavored oil
• 1 T. Banana Extract
• 1 Large Egg
• 2 T. Nonfat or Low-fat Milk
• 114 ½ g/ 1 ¼ c. Diabetic Flour Mix
• ½ t. Baking Soda
• ¼ t. Baking Powder
• ¼ t. Salt
• 12 g/ ½ c. Splenda Granulated Zero Calorie Sweetener

Instructions

1

In a small bowl, fork mash bananas and softened butter. Add applesauce, canola oil, banana extract, egg and milk; whisk together with fork and set aside.

2

In a medium bowl, combine Diabetic Flour Mix, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt and Splenda. Mix thoroughly to ensure leaveners are evenly distributed throughout flour.

3

Make a well in the center of the flour mix. Pour wet ingredients into well. With a spatula, gently fold flour mix and wet ingredients together until just combined. Cover and refrigerate for 15 min – 4 hours.

4

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 8 regular muffin cups with paper cupcake liners; spray with non-stick cooking spray.

5

Remove batter from refrigerator. Gently fold over batter; moisture will have settled to the bottom. Spoon 54 g./ 1.9 oz. batter into each muffin cup; smooth tops. There will be enough batter left for an additional smaller muffin.

6

Bake in 350-degree oven for 20 min until toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.

7

Let cool for 10-15 min., then remove muffins from muffin tin and place on cooling rack. Let sit for at least 2 hours to cool and to allow flavors to blend.

8

Enjoy!

Diabetic Flour Mix

Ingredients                                                 Carbs        

30.0g./ 4T Sprouted Whole Wheat
         Or Whole Wheat Flour 21.0              21.0g. 
27.5g./ 5T Wheat Germ*                              12.5 
16.0g./ 4T Wheat Bran*                                 7.0 
   7.0g./ 1T       Amaranth ***                         4.75
 11.0g./ 2T      Oat Flour**                             10.0

91.5g  per cup                                               55.25 carbohydrates per cup 

* Grind in a coffee grinder or a grinder specifically for grinding grains

** Look for oat flours with lower carbohydrate counts

***Amaranth can be found among gluten-free flours or at health food 
stores. If not, substitute cornstarch, potato starch or tapioca starch, although the carbohydrate content is slightly higher.

Nutrition Information Per Cup:
Total Carbs:              55.25 g.
Total Fat:                     4.75 g.
Total Fiber:              16.13 g.
Sugar and “other”: 23.00 g.
Protein:                    17.10 g.

To make a larger batch to store for future use:

Ingredient x5

Sprouted Whole Wheat
           Or Whole Wheat Flour 150.0g.
Wheat Germ                              137.5g.
Wheat Bran                                  80.0g.
Amaranth                                     35.0g.
Oat Flour                                       55.0g.
Total weight for 5 cups:         457.5 g.