Mr. Tumnus’ Tempting Cakes (Banana Nut Muffins) Recipe

Lucy: “Thank you very much, Mr. Tumnus, but I was wondering if I ought to be getting back.”

Mr. Tumnus: “It’s only just round the corner, and there’ll be a roaring fire-and toast-and sardines-and cake.”

Lucy: “Well, it’s very kind of you, but I shan’t be able to stay long,” said Lucy. (Lewis 13)

Oh, the power of food. Food was the fundamental symbol of greed and temptation throughout The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and it seems to ensnare the Pevensie children every time. Whether it was Edmund succumbing to the Turkish Delight offered by the White Witch, Susan dreaming of dinner while the children learnt of Mr. Tumnus’ predicament, or Lucy enjoying the tea time fare that Mr. Tumnus spread out for her as a bait for her to be caught and brought to the White Witch, food is a prevalent source of temptation in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Now onto these delicious mini cakes…sweets are the ultimate temptation to any child! But here at Craving Narnia, we wanted to take the sweetness levels down a notch, for a healthier tea time dessert to enjoy while sipping tea and reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Instead of creating a dramatic 4-layered cake, a much more wholesome and simpler recipe was made: Banana Nut Muffins—which are not only refined sugar free, but gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian and paleo! Recipe courtesy of Arianna.

Mr. Tumnus’ Tempting Cakes (Banana Nut Muffins)

Yields 8 muffins​

Ingredients:

• 1 large banana mashed​

• 1 ¼ cup Bobs Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour ​

• ½ tsp baking soda​

• ½ tsp baking powder​

• 1 tsp white wine vinegar​

• ¼ tsp salt​

• ¼ cup coconut sugar​

• 1 egg​

• ¼ cup + 3 tbsp almond milk​

• ¼ cup melted butter​

• ¼ cup chopped pecans

Instructions​

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. ​

2. Mix all of the dry ingredients, except the pecans, in a large mixing bowl.

3. In a smaller bowl, mash the banana and add the wet ingredients (melt the butter if not melted already and add it to the wet ingredients). ​

4. Combine the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient bowl. Don’t stir too much! ​

5. Fold in the chopped pecans. ​

6. Use an ice-cream scooper and scoop batter into lined muffin tins. ​

7. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a tooth-pick comes out clean. This will yield doughy/close to raw muffins. Cook longer if you want it more cooked (about 3 more minutes)​.

8. Wait for 10 minutes to let the muffins cool.

9. Enjoy alone or top with cashew butter + jam as pictured.