Spiced Banana Muffins with Oats Crumble

Spiced Banana Muffins with Oats Crumble

When I think of Christmas bakes, these words come to my mind: spiced, peppermint, cookies, shortbread, fruitcake, minced pies, biscotti, mulled wine, eggnog, yule log, gingerbread... Anything else?

After baking this delicious Spiced Persimmon Loaf, now I bake spiced muffins, using frozen bananas. I froze some bananas when my toddler was down with throat infection for the past few days. Note: Cold food is great to soothe sore throats. He wasn't eating much of them, so I used some to bake these fragrantly spiced banana muffins.

Recipe adapted from this book, Muffins by Carol Pastor, pg. 31.

Packed with soft and dense mashed banana, the addition of flaxseeds provides these delightful muffins with an added crunch and the mixed spice brings depth of flavor to this breakfast treat. Rolled oats add bulk and fiber.

Ingredients:
(Makes 12 standard muffins)

For the muffins:

1/4 cup wholemeal flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon mixed spices
1/4 cup molasses sugar (or dark muscovado sugar)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup milk
1 ripe banana (I used frozen banana, thawed to room temperature)

For the oats crumble:

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon demerara (raw) sugar
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup organic brown and golden flaxseeds

How to:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line the cups of a muffin tin (pan) with paper cases.

2. Sift together both flours, baking powder, and mixed spices into a mixing bowl, then add the bran remaining in the sieve to the bowl. Stir in the sugar.

3. Pour the melted butter into a mixing bowl. Allow to cool slightly, then beat in the egg and milk.

4. Gently fold in the dry ingredients. Mash the banana, then stir it into the batter. Do not overmix it.

5. Spoon the batter into the prepared paper cases.

6. Combine the ingredients of the crumble and sprinkle over each muffin.

7. Bake for 20 minutes until the muffins are well risen and golden. Leave to stand for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack and serve warm or cold. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.