SPICY COCOA MUFFINS

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 12 3-inch muffin tins and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Stir to blend well. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk and melted butter. Beat well. Add the flour mixture and stir until the ingredients are just blended, then fold in the nuts and chocolate chips. Spoon the mixture into the tins, filling each about 3/4 full.

Bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Remove immediately from the tins and cool briefly on a wire rack.

Makes 12 muffins
Source: James McNair's Breakfast by James McNair and Patricia Brabant