Spiced Banana-Nut Muffins

These muffins have a very cake-like texture.

Spiced Banana-Nut Muffins
Yield: 12 regular muffins or 6 jumbo muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
About 3 large ripe bananas (1 ½ cups mashed)
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 extra-large egg
¼ cup vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center of the oven. Prepare muffin tin (line with paper liners or spray with Baker’s Joy).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Toss in toasted walnuts and stir with mixing spoon to coat nuts with flour. Set aside.

Mash bananas in medium mixing bowl by beating them with a hand mixer. Add light brown sugar and beat on medium speed for about 1 minute. Beat in the egg and oil.

Use a rubber spatula to fold the banana mixture into the flour mixture, mixing just until the ingredients are incorporated. Fill prepared muffin tin. Bake regular muffins for 15-18 minutes and jumbo muffins 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean and the muffins are a light golden brown on top. Remove the tin from the oven and let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to the wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Source: Basic Baking by Lora Brody