Ingredients:

  • 3 large Very Ripe Bananas (approx. 1 ¼ cups mashed)
  • ½ cup Granulated Sugar
  • ½ cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
  • 1 large Egg, room temperature
  • ½ cup Full-Fat Milk or Buttermilk
  • ¼ cup Vegetable Oil (Canola or Sunflower)
  • 2 tbsp Melted Unsalted Butter
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 ¾ cups All-Purpose (Plain) Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of Soda)
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg
  • ½ tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • ½ cup Chopped Walnuts or Pecans (reserve 2 tbsp for topping)
  • 2 tbsp Demerara or Turbinado Sugar (for the crunchy crust)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to a very high 425°F (220°C). Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners. Lightly spray the tops of the tin with oil spray. Optional: lightly toast the chopped walnuts in a dry pan for 3-5 minutes, then set aside.
  2. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas until mostly smooth, leaving a few small lumps. Add the granulated and brown sugars and mix vigorously for 1 minute to dissolve some sugar.
  3. Whisk in the egg, milk, oil, melted butter, and vanilla extract until the mixture is homogeneous.
  4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir the ¾ cup of chopped walnuts into the dry mixture.
  5. Mix the Batter: Pour the wet banana mixture into the dry flour mixture. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the ingredients together just until the dry ingredients are almost entirely incorporated. The batter should look shaggy and lumpy. Do not overmix.
  6. Scoop and Top: Use a large ice cream scoop to divide the batter evenly among the 12 liners, filling them about 3/4 full. Sprinkle the tops generously with the Demerara sugar and the reserved nuts.
  7. Bake Cycle Step 1: Place the tin immediately into the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven for exactly 5 minutes.
  8. Bake Cycle Step 2: Without opening the oven door, immediately lower the temperature to 375°F (190°C). Continue baking for another 17–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
  9. Cool and Serve: Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, or serve warm.