Today, I’m so excited to share this easy recipe that will make you look like a super fancy baker! These delightful banana muffins filled with strawberry jam are simple and delightful! With just a little bit of time and patience, you can whip up these muffins on a rainy afternoon (like I am!) and share them with your family and friends. Or, keep them to yourself! I’m not going to judge!
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Pro Tips for Fluffy Banana Muffins
Before we dive into the heart of our strawberry jam-filled banana muffins, let’s start with the foundation – the fluffy banana muffin base that will make your taste buds dance with joy. These muffins are not only soft and moist but also boast a fantastic texture that won’t stick to your muffin liners. Here’s how to achieve perfection:
1. Don’t over-mix the batter. I know, I know: what does that even mean?? Well, it means that it’s okay if there are little lumps of flour that are kind of floating in your batter. I’m not saying don’t mix your batter! But, also, don’t leave banana muffin batter in your stand mixer for 5 minutes and walk away from it. If you do that, you’ll end up with dense, chewy muffins rather than light and fluffy.
2. Use some non-stick cupcake/muffin liners. I’m not positive as to why, but I swear every time I make banana muffins without non-stick liners, they just stick to the liner and I lose half of my muffin to that liner! It’s just easier if you use a non-stick liner, or if you opt for no liner, make sure you grease your pan really, really well, and only grease it right before you pour in your batter.
3. Don’t over-bake. Recipes always have a range for baking time because your baking time in your oven could be very different from my baking time in my oven. I always start at the lower end of the range given for a recipe and check my baked goods. Don’t immediately go for the top number in the range! When you can stick a toothpick in the middle of your muffin and it comes out mostly clean (a couple little crumb-lets are okay), it’s done.
Other Variations of Strawberry Jam-Filled Banana Muffins
While the classic strawberry jam-filled banana muffins are a hit on their own, don’t be afraid to get creative and add your personal touch. Here are a few variations that will take your muffin game to the next level:
- Nutella filling, because everything tastes better with Nutella! If you’re a fan of banana and Nutella together, check out my banana cupcakes with Nutella buttercream!
- Raspberry jam filling, my personal favorite.
- Vanilla pudding filling, if you wanted more of a banana vibe
- Cookie butter filling. Also, if you’re a fan of cookie butter, check out my banana muffins with cookie butter here.
How to Make Filled Muffins or Cupcakes
The easiest way to make filled muffins or cupcakes is with a special cupcake corer tool. Now, you could use a paring knife and cut out a little bit and then fill your cupcakes and muffins! However, I am not coordinated or graceful, and I am rather lazy. The cupcake corer is pretty cheap, and it will make your life a lot easier, in my opinion.
To core your cupcakes or muffins, you first (and this part is very important!) wait for your muffins or cupcakes to cool completely. If you don’t wait enough and your muffins are still warm, you might accidentally squish them with your corer. After they have cooled enough, you place the corer tool flat on top, in the very center of your muffin, and push down.
The tool will cut a neat little cylinder, about as long as a third of a wine cork out of your muffin. Don’t throw that away! First, you fill your muffin with the filling of your choice, and then you stick that little cylinder back in, much like you might with a half-finished bottle of wine. And then, voilá! That’s it!
How to Make Strawberry Jam-Filled Banana Muffins
Ingredients:
– 2 cups all-purpose flour
– 1 teaspoon baking powder
– 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1 tsp cinnamon
– 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
– 1 cup granulated sugar
– 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
– 2 large eggs
– 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
– 1/2 cup buttermilk (If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, just use 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 tablespoon of vinegar)
– 1/2 cup strawberry jam (homemade or store-bought)
Instructions:
1. Preheat Your Oven: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with non-stick liners.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
3. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes and is crucial for creating that fluffy texture.
4. Add Mashed Bananas: Add the mashed bananas to the butter-sugar mixture and mix until well incorporated.
5. Beat in Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla extract and mix until the batter is smooth.
6. Alternate Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add about half of your dry ingredients and mix a little bit. Then, pour in your buttermilk and mix a little more. Finally, finish with the other half of your dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated. See note above about over-mixing.
7. Fill Muffin Cups: Fill each muffin cup about ¾ of the way with batter. I use a ¼ cup measuring cup for my batter to get an even amount every time.
8. Bake: Place your muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the muffin (but not the jam center) comes out clean.
9. Cool: Allow the muffins to cool completely before filling them.
10. Core the muffins: Using your muffin coring tool, cut a little piece out of each of your muffins. Then, using a spoon, spoon a little bit of strawberry jam into the hole you just carved out of your muffins. Finally, put the little pieces you cut out back on top. Revisit the pictures above for more help!
There you have it, my friends – the secret to baking fluffy banana muffins with strawberry jam filling. Now you’re ready to impress your friends and family with your baking prowess. So, preheat that oven, grab those ripe bananas, and let the sweet adventure begin! Happy baking!
Banana Muffins Filled with Strawberry Jam
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 ripe bananans mashed
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup buttermilk Or 1/2 cup milk mixed with 1/2 tablespoon of vinegar
- 1/2 cup strawberry jam or filling of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F, line a muffin tin with some non-stick or foil liners
- Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a separate bowl
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in bananas and mix until well-incorporated.
- Add in eggs and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- Add in half of the dry ingredients and mix slightly. Then, add in buttermilk and mix slightly. Finally, add in the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
- Fill your muffin tin cups about 3/4 of the way (I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup for mine)
- Bake at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let your banana muffins cool completely.
- Then, remove the center from your muffins using a cupcake coring tool. Fill the centers with strawberry jam and replace the tops that were removed.
- Enjoy!
