Muffin mix can be tweaked for bread, pancakes

Here’s a versatile recipe that can save you some money.

In less than an hour you can bake a dozen luxurious banana-coconut muffins for less than 50 cents each.

And with a few simple tweaks, this recipe can perform triple duty as a deluxe quick bread or pancake batter.

Banana-coconut muffins

11/2cups all-purpose flour

2teaspoons baking powder

1teaspoon cinnamon

1/2teaspoon baking soda

1/2teaspoon salt

1cup flaked sweetened coconut

11/3cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 medium)

1/4cup buttermilk

1teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2cup butter, softened

3/4cup packed light brown sugar

1large egg

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil 12 muffin cups or coat them with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir in the coconut and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the bananas, buttermilk and vanilla. Set aside.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on high to beat the butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes longer. Beat in the egg.

With the mixer on low, alternately beat in the dry ingredients in three additions and the banana mixture in two additions, beating until just combined each time.

Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly pressed at the center and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 12 muffins. Per muffin: (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 244 calories; 87 calories from fat; 10 g fat (7 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 35 mg cholesterol; 38 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 2 g fiber; 329 mg sodium.

To make pancake batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and coconut.

In another bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 cup melted butter, 3 mashed ripe bananas, 3/4 cup buttermilk and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Using a rubber spatula, fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients until no traces of flour remain.

To make a quick bread batter: Follow the same ingredient list as the muffins, but increase the flour to 13/4 cups. Bake in a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted at the center comes out clean.