Steve's Banana Bran, Raisin & Walnut Muffins

I adapted this from a Dan Lepard recipe by reducing the sugar and adding some walnuts for some all important nutty crunch. This recipe makes lots of muffins, about 18-20 of the things, but it can also double as a simple moist cake mix, so you might like to line a tin with non-stick paper and make a tray-bake to freeze. Dan suggests eating straight away drizzled with lemon water icing. I usually halve the recipe to make 9 muffins and they freeze very well.  Once defrosted I give them a quick zap in the microwave and serve with some greek yoghurt.

Ingredients:

125g bran

3 ripe bananas (about 300g), peeled

200g muscovado or dark brown sugar

2 large eggs

125g unsalted butter, melted

200g Greek yogurt

2 tsp vanilla extract

325g plain flour

1½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp baking soda

1½ tsp baking powder

150g raisins 

150g walnuts roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan-assisted)/400F/gas mark 6. Line the cups of a 12-pocket muffin tray with muffin papers. Boil the kettle and pour 250ml boiling water over the bran and leave to soak for 15 minutes. Put the bananas, muscovado and caster sugar and one egg in a bowl, and beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining egg, then the melted butter, yogurt and vanilla. Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder two or three times, so the raising agents and spice are evenly distributed, recently I have placed all those ingredients in a sealed tupperware-type container and shake vigorously. Beat the bran through the banana mixture, then fold through the dry ingredients and the raisins & walnuts. Spoon into the paper muffin cases and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean, then remove from the oven, lift out the muffins and leave to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!