On Sundays We Bake: Chocolate and Banana Muffins

Hola mi amigos! So part of my new blog project is to showcase my fabulous bakingness (and give me a reason to keep indulging myself because there is no such thing as too many baked goods). I put it to a vote as to which recipe I should start with and this timeless classic was a winner. Primarily for the Mean Girls quotability, of course. Did you want your muffing buttered?

I'm not gonna lie, I pinched this recipe from Nigella, with a few extra twists. You will learn soon enough that I add vanilla extract to nearly everything... spag bol the only exception. I also felt like frosting was on the cards so found a nice little recipe for that too. Anyway, give it a go. Here's the recipe...

For the cake:
3 bananas - the riper the better
125ml vegetable oil
2 large eggs - beaten
100g golden caster sugar
1 drop vanilla extract 
225g plain flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp bicarb of soda

For the frosting:
100g butter
300g icing sugar
40g cocoa powder
50ml milk
1 drop vanilla extract
50g milk chocolate


Start off by mashing up the bananas until they're nice and mushy. Then add the oil and fully mix them together. Follow this by adding and mixing the eggs and finally the sugar and vanilla extract. It should all end up in an nice big gloopy puddle,with a slight brown tint. Pop this to the side for later on.

 

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Stir these together until they're totally combined. Pour into the banana/oil mixture and fold until you have a nice smooth(ish) chocolaty mess. Spoon into muffin cases and cook for approximately 20 minutes at 200 degrees. Eat remaining mixture and lick spoon. Obviously.

 

While waiting for the muffins to cook and cool you can start working on the frosting. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. Mix in the butter until combined. Slowly add the milk and mix until it starts to look smooth.Melt the chocolate pieces with a small knob of butter and the vanilla extract and add this to the frosting mixture. If there is any powder not mixed in or the concoction seems a little solid then add more milk until it's just right.

Make sure the muffins are totally cool before you front them. Frost them in any way you would like: with a piping bag - if you're posh, with a spoon - if you're smart, or with your fingers - if you like to make a mess. I added lovely banoffee sprinkles too mine as they were part of a Christmas present bundle from my magazine cuties and seemed made for this recipe. And don't forget, if you want to make it even more indulgent, I can assign someone to butter your muffin for you.

Let me know if you tried the recipe, or if you have any ideas for the next one! Love you and see you next week.

Rachel. xo.