Baking + Sweet, Muffins, Recipes · January 28, 2023

Banana Coffee Cake Muffins

The most moist banana coffee cake muffins to hit the internet are here! And they are complete with their own streusel topping and center cinnamon swirl – I just love them so much. This recipe took a bit of trial and error, and that’s because you can always make a pretty muffin, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a delicious muffin. This muffin took me a few rounds to find the perfect ratio of *perfectly domed tops* to *interior fluffy moistness* and *delicious for days*. Because if I’m making a batch of big, soft, bakery-style banana muffins, I want to be able to enjoy one a day for breakfast until they are gone (and believe me, that’ what I did with this recipe!)

The best part about these easy banana muffins is they are also slightly unique. They are loosely inspired by coffee cake, meaning that they have a buttery, crumbly topping on top, and they also have coffee in them. It might not seem like the most intuitive paring, but trust me, it just makes these muffins very, very good. If you are looking for a staple banana muffin recipe, these are one of my absolute favorites.

First, let’s talk about coffee cake muffins
Ingredients you will need for these banana coffee cake muffins
How to make the banana muffin batter
What makes banana muffins moist?
How to make the crumble topping for these coffee banana bread muffins
Tips & tricks on how to store banana muffins and keep them moist
Looking for other baking recipes?
Watch the video here:

First, let’s talk about coffee cake muffins

Coffee cake is such a funny and interesting title to me – because almost no coffee cakes have coffee in them. They are just designed to be eaten with coffee. So being the ever-contrarian rule-breaker that I am, I was like “no…now is the time for coffee in my coffee cake.” And that’s how these coffee cake muffins were born. Good thing bananas and coffee pair fabulously together. Which means this muffin pairs even better with your morning coffee. It’s a win-win-win all around.

And of course, coffee cake technically has two layers, so I did my best to mimic tradition by adding a cinnamon sugar layer to the center of these muffins. It makes them feel more like a brown-sugar-shaken-espresso vibe, and I really can’t be too mad at that, right?

Ingredients you will need for these banana coffee cake muffins

While this looks like a long list (I know, I know) – it’s all relatively repeatable ingredients and pantry staples! I just outlined them into the three recipe sections, so that it will be easy for you to grab and decipher as you go. Here is everything you’ll need for these banana coffee cake muffins:

For the banana muffin batter

2 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 350 grams
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp instant espresso powder or espresso grounds
3 large very brown bananas, 375 grams
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, 80 grams
1/2 cup granulated sugar, 110 grams
1/2 cup greek yogurt or skyr, 130 grams

For the crumble topping

3 tbsp salted butter, 45 grams, chilled
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 52 grams
3 tbsp brown sugar, 30 grams
3 tbsp rolled oats, 25 grams

For the cinnamon sugar layer

3 tbsp granulated sugar, 35 grams
1 tbsp dark brown sugar, 14 grams
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 9 grams
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

How to make the banana muffin batter

The beautiful thing about most coffee cakes, or snacking cakes, or batters, is that they are usually HIGHLY low-maintenance. This banana coffee cake batter is no different. Just mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, mash your bananas, and add them to the wet ingredients in another bowl.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet in batches, and mix to combine. You’ll have a thick, delicious banana batter in seconds. Try not to eat it all while you prep the rest of the recipe 😉

What makes banana muffins moist?

The moisture factor in baked goods comes from a LOT of external sources. I’m very well known for throwing whole vegetables into my cakes, just because I know how goooood the moisture can be. But bananas, vegetables and other fruits alone are not the sole source for what makes a cake moist. It also depends on your flour-to-fat ratio, and if you are using any additional moistening agents. Moistening agents typically include a dairy product, like sour cream, crème fraîche, or in this case, skyr or yogurt.

But the bananas do matter too – I mean, that’s why we started baking with them! The more brown your banana, the more moist your cake will be. This is because the sugars break down in bananas as they ripen, which will directly impact the results of your coffee cake muffins. So brown on, ladies!

How to make the crumble topping for these coffee banana bread muffins

This is another easy step of the recipe, just make sure your butter is chilled before beginning!

Add the chilled butter and the flour for the crumble topping. Toss to coat the butter in flour, then add the sugar and rolled oats. Work the butter into pieces with your hands, consistently tossing to coat in the flour and sugar. You’re looking to make a crumb-like texture, with pieces no bigger than the tip of a pencil eraser. Set this in the fridge while you prep the rest of the recipe.

Tips & tricks on how to store banana muffins and keep them moist

How you store a baked good greatly impacts how it will taste over time. And don’t we all want our leftovers to be 10/10? These banana coffee cake muffins will last up to a week, and here are my best tips on how to store them:

Store in a cool, dry place like a pantry or a cool part of your kitchen – this is not the best recipe to store near the stove! Temperature variance won’t affect the moisture, but it will affect your muffin’s ability to keep for the full week.
Store in an air-tight container – this is imperative to keeping a cake’s moisture. Let the muffins cool completely before moving them to a tupperware container with a snap-lock lid.
For extra moisture, throw in a damp paper towel 12 hours before eating your next muffin – it’s wild, but it works!
Forgot to do that step? Microwave your muffin for 20 seconds with a wet paper towel draped over it. I learned this from Emily Mariko and I’m never going back.

Looking for other baking recipes?

Here are a few I’ve loved lately!

Zucchini Olive Oil Banana Bread

This recipe is a summer comfort classic. We are RICH in zucchini which means it's time to make the softest, dreamiest, easiest zucchini banana bread. Put all other zucchini bread recipes aside, because after you try this (and serve it chilled on a summer day) you'll see heaven.

Check out this recipe

Pumpkin Tart with Caramelized Onions & Pumpkin Seed Gremolata

This pumpkin tart has a lot of components to it, but they all come together in a perfectly spiced, warm and comforting tart. This recipe is a love letter to seasonality because pumpkin is its prime during the fall months (duh!) and the rich and spicy base of this tart will warm you right up. Add the pumpkin seeds to a gremolata for less waste, and the whole tart is a fall/winter dream.

Check out this recipe

Courgette Tart with Lemon Ricotta

This tart is easy, impressive and fun to make. It utilizes the best of zucchini and summer squash to make a lemony, zesty, delicious and fun late summer party dish.

Check out this recipe

Watch the video here:

And that’s everything for these banana muffins!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3