Jumbo Crumb-Topped Banana Nut Muffins

The quintessential banana nut muffin, with a slightly lighter texture and crumb, super banana flavor and sweet cinnamon topping. It took me so many iterations to develop this PERFECT 100% salt free muffin (!!) I lost count. But my pain is your gain. Oh yes.

Yields 12 jumbo size muffins.

SODIUM CONTENT: 20 mg per muffin

INGREDIENTS

TOPPING:
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. chopped walnuts
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1 T. unsalted butter

BATTER:
2 c. mashed banana (about 4 overripe bananas)
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 T. pure vanilla extract
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 T. Featherweight sodium-free baking powder (available at Whole Foods markets and online at healthyheartmarket.com)
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 T. milk
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease or line two jumbo 6-muffin tins with butter or paper muffin cups and set aside.

To make the crumb topping, measure dry ingredients into a small mixing bowl and stir. Cut butter into the dry mixture using fingertips and process until a wet sand-like crumb is achieved. Set aside.

To make the batter, beat mashed banana and sugars in a large mixing bowl. Add vanilla, cinnamon and oil and mix. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Sift in baking powder and flour and then stir. Lastly, add milk and walnuts and stir just until mixed. Carefully pour batter into prepared muffin cups (about 3/4 full), then top with crumb mixture (about 3/4 t. per muffin). Place pans on middle rack in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow muffins to cool in pan 5-10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool fully.