My Favorite Zucchini Walnut Muffins!

 

They're Martha Stewart's zucchini cupcakes from her "Cupcakes" cookbook.  My sister gave me the book for my birthday a couple of years ago and the first time I tried this recipe I fell in love.  I may never be able to eat any other zucchini bread/muffin. 

In the book she recommends frosting the cupcakes but since I wanted to be able to eat them for breakfast or dessert, I saved some toasted walnuts and brown sugar for a sweet, crunchy topping instead.

I couldn't find the exact recipe online which calls for lemon, nutmeg, and cloves, but here's the closest thing...

Sweet Zucchini Cupcakes

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• Prep Time 20 minutes
• Total Time 1 hour, 30 minutes
• Yield Makes 12

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
• 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 zucchini (10 ounces), coarsely grated (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cups of a standard (12-cup) muffin tin with paper or foil liners. Set aside.
   
2. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix in nuts.
   
3. In another bowl, combine zucchini, oil, eggs, and vanilla; add to flour mixture, and mix just until combined (do not overmix).
   
4. Divide batter evenly among cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
   
5. Cool in tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes; turn cupcakes out, right side up, and cool completely. Meanwhile, make frosting. Using an offset spatula or butter knife, spread frosting on cupcakes. The frosted cupcakes are best eaten within 1 day.