Decadent Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

Wow! I just made these, and they are incredible. (Can you say that about a newly-created recipe without sounding immodest? I figure it’s OK ’cause it’s not about me; it’s about the food.) The decadence has more to do with taste than ingredients, for these are more nutritious than you might think.

I started with a recipe for killer—as in fantastic but bad for you—chocolate sour cream banana bread. Then, I swapped canola oil for the butter to improve moisture and “heart health”; whole wheat flour for half of the all-purpose for added fiber and nutrients; and pumpkin—actually, Hubbard squash—for the sour cream to increase fiber, vitamins and minerals while decreasing fat and calories. I also used more cocoa and fewer chocolate chips to reduce the overall quantity of fat and calories. The end result is an amazingly moist, flavorful muffin that can hold its own as a dessert offering. ‘Tis a nice bonus that it also contains a day’s worth of vitamin A.

Because of the chips, these cannot be considered a health food, but they are certainly better for you than any boxed option I’ve seen. Use regular chocolate chips instead of mini if you must, but I think the smaller ones are better at distributing the chocolate throughout the muffins.

Decadent Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

1 cup 50/50 all-purpose/whole wheat flour mix*
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 small bananas, mashed (or 1 large)
1/2 cup cooked, pureed pumpkin or butternut squash
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

* A 50/50 all-purpose/whole wheat flour combo is available in stores, but I mix my own for about half the price. If you don’t have a mix on hand, use a half cup each of all-purpose and whole wheat flour for this recipe.

Preheat oven to 350° F and mist a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

Combine first four ingredients (flour through salt) in a small bowl and mix well.

Put next six ingredients (bananas through vanilla) in a large bowl and blend well.

Add dry ingredients to wet and stir just until moistened.

Stir in chocolate chips, using as few strokes as possible.

Scoop the batter into prepared pan, using about 1/4 cup for each muffin.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Cool muffins in tin on wire rack for 5 minutes before removing to rack to cool further.

These are excellent warm and at room temperature.

Store in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

© Liesl K. Bohan  |  SavvyBaker.com