Who doesn’t like a good muffin? After all, once the recipe is mixed, it bakes in minutes and is ready-to-serve. Or, pack them up for an easy take along snack or mid-day treat. The chocolate in this muffin makes it ideal as a muffin that moves beond breakfast. Perhaps a lunch treat or a dinner dessert.
Chocolate Banana Muffins
makes 10-12 muffins
For the Crumb Topping:
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons nuts, chopped
1 Tablespoon sweet butter
In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nuts. Blend butter in with a fork until mixture is crumb like.
For the Muffin Mix:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups, about 3-4 large very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup pure cane granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons honey
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 cup sweet butter, melted; or replace with part/ all applesauce
Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, honey, egg, cinnamon, vanilla, zest, chocolate chips, nuts, and melted butter. Fold in banana mixture by hand with a spatula into the flour mixture until just moistened.
Using very ripe bananas (black) is the key to success with a banana muffin recipe. Save up ripe bananas and freeze in a plastic bag until you have enough to make a full recipe. For a "lower fat" muffin replace the butter in-part or all with applesauce.
Place batter into muffin cups filling each cup to three quarters full. Divide the crumb topping evenly over the top of muffin batter.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin; done when toothpick comes out clean; or when touched lightly the muffin should have a slight resistance to finger pressure.
