Banana & Milk Chocolate Muffins
I feel like the combo of banana and milk chocolate is one of the unsung heroes of the food world. If you haven't tried it, now's your chance - they compliment each other so well! My mum used to make these whenever we had overripe bananas in the house, and honestly, what an upgrade from boring old banana bread.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 12
FOR THE MUFFINS
135g vegetable oil
200g soft light brown sugar
3 overripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
225g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp ground cinnamon
1/4tsp ground nutmeg
175g milk chocolate chips
FOR FINISHING
1tbsp demarara sugar, mixed with 1/4tsp cinnamon
Additional 25g milk chocolate, melted, for drizzling
METHOD
1
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a 12-hole muffin tin* with muffin cases. Set aside.
2
In a largeish bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed and set aside.
In a small bowl, crack in the eggs, and whisk in the vanilla. Set aside.
3
In another large bowl, combine the oil and sugar. Whisk in the egg mixture, then fold in the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
Do not overmix at this stage, you just want there to be no dry bits of unmixed flour.
Finally, fold in your mashed bananas.
4
Using a mechanical ice cream scoop (or of course two spoons, though I do recommend investing in the former!), divide the batter evenly amongst each muffin case.
Sprinkle some of the cinnamon sugar on top of each muffin, then bake for 18 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out with no wet batter on it.
Leave to cool for about 20 minutes. If desired, drizzle with some extra melted milk chocolate using a spoon or piping bag, before digging in (there's really nothing better than eating these warm from the oven!)
STORAGE NOTES:
Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. After this time, they will begin to dry out, though I imagine these won't last long anyway!
*If you don't have a muffin tin, you can use an 8x8 inch square pan, or a 9x9 inch round pan. The baking time will vary from about 30-35 minutes at 170°C (instead of 190°C) if you choose to bake it this way! Just check with a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake - it should come out clean!
TIP #1
No muffin cases? Or maybe you just don't like waste? Just make sure you grease your muffin pan really well (the entire thing - not just the holes!) and they will pop out right away.
