Banana Fruit & Nut Muffins

Up until recently, muffins were one of my biggest baking nemeses. No matter what recipe I used or how gently I mixed the batter, the end result was always tough, rubbery and stumpy.

However! One day I found the perfect muffin recipe. I felt elated when twelve perfectly risen, bouncy, fluffy, light muffins emerged from my oven. Sad as it may seem, my hands were quivering, I had butterflies flitting around in my tummy, and I could not quite believe it.

So I treasure this recipe - the staple muffin recipe that I will go to for years, adapting the recipe to suit any flavour whim.

I was lucky enough to find two blackened bananas reclining in my fruit bowl, as bananas tend to do. Classic excuse for a bit of baking, I'd say : )

 Banana Fruit & Nut Muffins (makes 10-12)

80g plain flour

80g wholemeal flour

50g porridge oats

pinch salt

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

50g caster sugar

50g soft brown sugar

1 large egg

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

3 tbsp vegetable/sunflower oil

125 ml boiling water

50 g raisins

10-12 pecan nuts, crushed

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C/350 degreees F. Line or butter a muffin tin.

Sift and combine the dry ingredients in a large hole and make a well.

Pour the hot water over the raisins and leave to soak.

Whisk together egg, sugar, oil and mashed banana in a bowl or jug.

Pour into the dry ingredients and mix lightly until just combined and no more.

Pour in the hot water and raisins and fold them in gently. Try not to over mix.

Divide the mixture between the muffin cases/holes and crumble a pecan nut on top of each one.

Bake for around 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.