Dark Chocolate Banana Muffins

Ooh, these muffins are a treat!  Soft, cakey, sweet, very chocolaty (there's half as much cocoa powder as flour!), and even pretty to look at with their high crowns.  They're basically cupcakes without frosting, studded with chocolate chips instead.  The banana flavor isn't particularly strong, either, so they may be a good choice for someone who isn't a banana fan.  Someone like me!  I loved these, even with the banana. 
 
The recipe is from Our Best Bites.  I found it months ago, and was just waiting until I finally had 3 over ripe bananas.  My husband has one for breakfast most mornings, but he's done a great job lately of finishing the bunch before any of the bananas turn brown.  The original recipe called for applesauce and artificial sweetener, but I used oil and real sugar instead, plus a lot more mini chocolate chips.  I wasn't trying to make a low calorie muffin, so why not make them as tasty as possible?

  

 

Dark Chocolate Banana Muffins

 

3 very ripe bananas

1 egg

2/3 C sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 C canola oil

1 C flour
1/2 C cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 C mini chocolate chips, plus more for on top

   

Preheat oven to 375 and line a 12 well muffin tin with muffin papers.  Set aside.

   

Place bananas and egg in stand mixer and mix until bananas have broken down.  Mix in sugar, vanilla extract, and oil until smooth.  Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and mix just until well combined, scraping down the bowl partway through.  Stir in the mini chocolate chips.

   

Divide batter evenly between muffin papers, and top each dollop of batter with a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips.  Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

   

Yield: 12 muffins