Nearly every year, our family used to rent a house on Balboa Island for a week or two for our summer vacation. Sometimes our parents would share a duplex with another family, and all of us kids would spend every day swimming or running around the little island.
Balboa Island is the home of the chocolate covered banana, and one of the biggest treats was getting one and choosing what kinds of sprinkles or nuts you wanted. These muffins remind me of those bananas.
The recipe calls for ripened, frozen, and then thawed bananas. I had no idea that once you thaw frozen bananas, they turn to liquid. I froze mine in their peel (you can do it either way), and I kind of poured them out of the skins into the measuring cup.
Including baking time, these were ready in 45 minutes.
I used dark chocolate chips that are slightly larger. I think chocolate chunks would be amazing too.
All you need is a muffin tin, whisk, rubber spatula, and a couple of bowls. Plus, you probably already have the ingredients in your pantry. Go for it!
Double Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients
1 1/4 C all purpose flour
1/3 Dutch process unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 C mashed banana (about 2 medium previously frozen bananas)
1/3 C sour cream
1 large egg
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/4 C canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
Generous 1/2 C dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, whisk the banana and sour cream until smooth.
- Add the egg, sugar, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
- Fold in the flour mixture and chocolate chips until just combined.
- Portion evenly into the muffin tin.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
- Cool in the pan for about 2 minutes, and then on a wire rack.
The Avid Bakers are baking from the blog Scientifically Sweet in 2015. The author, Christina Marsigliese is a food scientist who loves to develop recipes. Check out the Avid Bakers Challenge site for how other bakers fared.
They look beautiful and fancy!! Glad you liked them :) Now I have to go look up Balboa island. Never heard of it but sounds fun.
ReplyDeleteThank you Hanaa. Balboa Island is a wonderful place. It's probably way more expensive now, and probably has more permanent residents, but it was the perfect place for a lazy vacation. It's very quaint.
DeleteNice photos!
ReplyDeleteThank you Lynn.
DeleteI bet the people in my department would love a batch of these....
ReplyDeletethe photos are so beautiful, chocolate concoctions are not easy to photograph..
Thanks Sally! Yes, just slightly easier than meat =)
DeleteWhat a treat to read about Banana Island, the frozen banana trick and the mouth-watering chocolate muffins you've made! Loving your stories, Karen.
ReplyDeleteThey look pretty. I personally am not too fond of bananas, but these were moist and super-chocolatey
ReplyDeleteChocolate and banana are a great combo (even better if I could throw some peanut butter in there!). These look rich and perfectly fudgy! Lovely photos! : )
ReplyDeleteAs usual, your baking and pictures look astounding, Karen!
ReplyDeleteI have had the chocolate covered bananas on Balboa Island, it's near Newport Beach. I had no idea that it's the home of this yummy treat! Thanks for posting it.
Double chocolate chip? Yes please!
ReplyDeleteWow chocolate cupcakes lkng so yummy...
ReplyDelete