Toby was vegan for a long, long time. And I love to bake. So, after we started dating, I learned how to make a few vegan treats. That’s how I discovered this recipe. And boy does it ever bring back fond memories.

I started making these in 2002, right after Toby Joe and I moved from New York down to Washington, DC. I made them weekly (sometimes more often). This was our breakfast staple, and our after dinner treat. There are a great deal of recipes from that time, but this one was our constant. Over the weekend, I made it again. Twice.

The first batch is on the left, the second on the right.

This is how they look on the inside:

The first batch was way off. I was confused. What had gone wrong? Well, I changed two things: I used a different egg replacer and a different vegan butter.

This is what I used for the first batch:

I was floored by how different the muffins turned out. They were flat and dense and way too moist no matter how long I baked them for. They weren’t at all what Toby Joe and I had remembered.

Given that I had made this recipe probably a hundred times before, I couldn’t believe how messed up they were. So I made another batch yesterday morning and have decided that when it comes to vegan baking, it’s best to stick with ingredients you know. The butter I used (shown below) still wasn’t my first choice. I would highly recommend, if you’re going to try this, that you pick up some Canoleo. While the second batch was MUCH better, they weren’t exactly what they used to be, and we still prefer the taste and texture of the ones I used to make with Canoleo.

So, I’m going to give you the recipe with the products I think you should use.

What you will need

• Mixer
• Muffin tins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Canoleo margarine
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 egg equivalent Ener-G egg replacer
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 cup chocolate chips (or to taste)
• Walnuts (however many you’d like)

Mom It Down!

Preheat oven to 350.

Add butter and brown sugar to the mixer. Mix that up until very creamy. Add egg replacer.

Mix that up. Add flour, baking powder, and soy milk. Stir it up.

Add bananas. Give that a stir. Add chocolate chips and nuts.

Fill muffin tins 2/3 (or more).

Bake for 35 – 45 minutes or until golden brown and inserted knife comes out clean.

You’re done!

Overcoming Obstacles

There really aren’t many to report here. They are just so super easy.

Variations

I think I remember substituting one cup of white flour for whole wheat. It’s been a while!

Feel free to omit the nuts or the chips or both.

Also, these can easily be turned into a loaf. Bake that for an hour. (But I would keep in eye on them starting at around 45 minutes.)

Next time, I’m using Canoleo and I will likely use regular Silk as opposed to the light variety.

Vegans or those who are allergic to eggs: Have you found certain egg replacers better than others? Do share! Also, any suggestions are greatly appreciated.