Banana Walnut Muffins

Bananas have a way of ripening all at once, going from firm to freckled to fully black in what feels like a single day. These muffins exist for exactly that moment, turning a counter of overripe fruit into something worth baking.

The trick to bakery-style domed tops is a hot start: bake the first five minutes at a high heat to spring the muffins up, then drop the temperature so they finish through without burning.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F) and line a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the mashed bananas with the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and sour cream.
3. In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until you no longer see flour. Fold in the walnuts, keeping a small handful back for the tops.
5. Divide the batter between the muffin cups, filling each almost to the top. Scatter the reserved walnuts over.
6. Bake at 220°C for 5 minutes, then drop the heat to 180°C (350°F) without opening the oven and bake for 16–18 minutes more, until a skewer comes out clean.
7. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then lift onto a rack.

Cooking tips

• The browner and softer your bananas, the better the muffins. Black-spotted is ideal.
• Don't overmix the batter — a few streaks of flour are fine. Tough muffins are usually over-stirred.
• Wrapped tightly, these freeze brilliantly. Defrost overnight or warm in a low oven.

More like this

For more from this section, browse our breakfast recipes or the full collection.