There were two lonely looking bananas languishing in my fruit bowl. With their black speckled skin they were best destined to be blitzed in the blender and turned into a smoothie or mixed through home baked goodies. 

I decided on the latter and incorporated them into these Brown Sugar, Banana and Dark Chocolate Muffins. I particularly like the caramel colour achieved by using brown sugar rather than caster or the raw varieties. They are surprising light in texture and especially delicious when eaten warm and split down the middle with a smudge of unsalted butter. 

Despite my children polishing off an early morning breakfast of boiled eggs and sourdough toast fingers before heading off to school sporting games, they still each managed one of my muffins. Hollow legs and a bottomless stomach, I say!

Brown Sugar, Banana and Dark Chocolate Muffins – makes 16 large muffins

Ingredients
2 eggs
100 ml olive oil
1 x small tub of sour cream (about 250 ml) – up to you whether to use full fat or reduced fat. 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large very ripe bananas mashed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups self raising flour
1/4 cup rolled oats (for added fibre).
150 grams dark chocolate chips (do not use milk choc chips otherwise the mixture will be too sweet)

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees on a conventional setting. 

As per my usual muffin recipes, mix together all of the WET ingredients first. Add the mashed banana. 

Then add all of the DRY ingredients to the bowl. Mix until just combined. The batter will be thick rather than runny. 

Spoon into muffin cases and bake in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes depending on the size of your muffins papers.  

Cool for 10 minutes before sharing with family or friends. These muffins are also fine to keep and eat within 3 days of baking.