Banana Mocha Muffins

Since the last time I blogged I am now graduated from university with a degree, living back at home with my parents and unemployed…

I spent a happy July in Portsmouth working, swanning by the beach, reading books and generally loving life. I only moved home two days ago and I’m already a bit bored…but then I see the kitchen, literally bursting with baking stuff. So I guess what I’m saying is, sorry for neglecting my blog for the most part of the summer, but now I’m back and in between applying for jobs, have nothing better to do than dedicate my time to making my family obese. On that note if anyone would like to offer me a job that would be great? (No, really…)

I know I harp on about the merits of ripe bananas, but they really are banging. To make these ‘mocha’ I used an instant sachet of mocha mix, but that was just me being lazy, and they would probably be better if you used fresh coffee.

Ingredients

3 large or 4 small very ripe bananas

125ml vegetable oil

2 eggs

100g soft light brown sugar

225g plain flour

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

3tbsps mocha mix (basically one sachet)

About 50g dark chocolate

Preheat the oven to 200⁰C and line a 12-hole muffin tray with papers. For some reason the only papers I could find in my mum’s house were these really random ones with Queen’s guards on them. Bit strange, but what the hey.

Mash the bananas in a large bowl.

Add the oil and mash some more.

Plop in the eggs, and then sieve in the sugar and mix all together with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Weigh out the flour and then add the bicarbonate and mocha sachet to it. Sieve onto the wet ingredients and carefully fold everything in.

Roughly chop the chocolate- I went for 70% cocoa because I like some bitterness with coffee, but if that’s not to your liking it would be just as good with milk. Scatter the chocolate over the batter and carefully mix in.

Spoon the mixture evenly between the cases and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until dark brown and firm to the touch. Let them cool for a little bit in the tins and then transfer to a wire rack.

I have to say these are delicious eaten whilst still warm, because the chocolate’s still all melty (even if eating just baked things gives you indigestion, it’s completely worth it).