Last week we missed out on Muffin Monday, seeing as it was very busy and I had a lot of other commitments that kept me from doing it. The kids seemed a little lost when it came time to pack their lunches and snacks: they had gotten used to a muffin a day. They practically rejoiced when they heard muffins would be back this week.
While my son was at soccer practice, my daughter insisted upon helping. Usually I bake alone–it’s cathartic for me, helping me get through whatever ails me by focusing on just one thing for a short while, my little piece of Zen. This time, I was more than willing. It seemed like she had earned some one-on-one time in the kitchen and could learn a lot from it.
I let her do most of the work, including taking out the ingredients, mashing the bananas, and when I took over, I had her read the recipe to me. My daughter hadn’t worked with weight (mass) measurements before, so that was a bit of a challenge for her in Nigella’s original recipe. I tried demonstrating taring the scale between ingredients and watching the numbers until you get it right, but she was starting to lose interest by then.
Ah, well, I tried. When they came out of the oven, she was back at my side, a willing volunteer, eager for them to cool enough so she could handle them. Not to taste-test, but to take her own photos. She picked out a placemat and plate, set up the white board on the table, and got to work, snapping a few shots before eagerly scarfing down her masterpiece.
Mags’s muffin
My little girl is growing up… I’m not sure I’m ready for this!
Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Muffins
Ingredients
- 3 bananas ripe or over ripe
- 125 ml extra virgin oil
- 2 large eggs
- 100 grams light brown sugar
- 225 grams all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas.
- Beat in the oil and eggs, then add the brown sugar and mix until well-blended.
- In another large bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until just combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Using a large cookie scoop, portion out the batter filling the cups about 1/3, then place a scoop of peanut butter (about a teaspoon or two) into the center of each muffin. Cover with more batter until each cup is 3/4 full.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly pressed.
- Leave in pan for 5 minutes, then turn onto wire racks to cool completely.
Lovely Muffins. Perfect with the adition of Peanut Butter
I agree – not bad at all for a 7 year old!! Too cute! These look delicious and I’ll have to save it for my next chocolate craving 🙂
Loving them for breakfast this week. Enjoy!
These muffins sound perfect, and I love the addition of the peanut butter. Can’t go wrong with a chocolate banana peanut butter combo. Yum! Your daughter is a cutie. Happy #MuffinMonday!
Thank you! She had a great time making muffins with me!
I loved cooking and baking with my daughters and now that they are off at university and fending for themselves, I know it was time well spent.
Hey, with a little cropping, your daughter’s photo would be perfect. 🙂 Please tell her your fellow bloggers are very impressed because her muffins are gorgeous!
She has a good start. She keeps telling me she can’t wait to have her own blog…when she’s 12. 😀
Hi Carrie! The fact that your little sweetheart did most of this is just lovely. I can’t wait to bake with my (now) 3 year old. I sometimes let her stir but honestly, it ends up being more work 🙂 But she’s content with just being with me while I bake. I like that you used crunch peanut butter! (I haven’t used that in years)! Lovely photos too! 🙂
It is a lot of work to bake with them when they’re younger. Other than a cookie-baking day at my mother-in-law’s before Christmas, I rarely baked with my kids when they were younger. But now that she’s getting older, it’s a great opportunity to teach math in motion. And following steps.
Hi Carrie, I would love to try out your lovely muffin recipe. But could I leave out the chocolate chips? Or can I replace it’s weight with extra banana or peanut butter?
You should be able to just leave the chips out without any problems. Enjoy!!