JUNGLE BANANA CAKES

FOR THE TOPPING:
1/2 cup Quaker oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
FOR THE CAKES:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Quaker oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
5 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted and cooled slighlty
1 egg
1 small firm-ripe banana, peeled and sliced (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray bottoms only of 12 medium muffin pan cups (2-3/4-inch diameter) with cooking spray.

TO PREPARE THE TOPPING:
Combine all topping ingredients with fork in medium bowl; mix well. Set aside.

TO PREPARE THE CAKES:
Combine flour, oats, cinnamon and baking soda in large bowl; mix well. In medium bowl, whisk together banana, milk, brown sugar, melted butter and egg. Add all at once to dry ingredients; mix just until dry ingredients are evenly moistened. (Do not overmix.) Divide batter evenly between muffin cups. (If cakes will be eaten the same day, press a banana slice in center of each.) Sprinkle cakes with topping, dividing evenly.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center, comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it and topping is golden brown. Let stand in muffin cups on cooling rack 5 minutes.

Loosen edges with thin metal spatula. Remove cakes to rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

EXTRA-EASY VARIATION:
Prepare Topping according to above directions; set aside. For muffins, combine 1 package (14 ounces) Banana Quick Bread & Muffin Mix, 3/4 cup Quaker oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked), 1 cup fat-free milk, 5 tablespoons melted butter or margarine and 1 egg until blended. Divide batter evenly between muffin cups. Sprinkle with Topping. Bake 16 to 19 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan. Transfer to cooling rack.

Makes 12 mini cakes
Source: Quaker Oatmeal