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banana muffins cooling on rack

Banana bread is apparently having a moment! There are certainly some fabulous versions out there – from Orangette’s Banana Bread with Chocolate and Crystallized Ginger, to Smitten Kitchen’s Ultimate Banana Bread, and I’ve tried and enjoyed most of them. For this post however, I’m feeling there are enough banana bread recipes out there, plus to be fair I already have my own favourite, as well as a variation…

beat eggs and yoghurt into banana mixture

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Besides, in general I’m actually more of a banana muffin fan (with a soft spot for choc-banana biscuits), for three very good reasons: first, they’re incredibly quick; second, they’re portable; and third, you’re completely justified in eating them for breakfast!

fold in flour and chocolate

spoon batter into lined muffin cups

These are a variation on a fancier banana cup cake recipe of Nigella’s, which I’ve now stripped down to be as simple as it could be – butter melted in the microwave, everything else mixed in the same bowl or jug, and with lots of bananas combined with yoghurt, which I always feel is a wonderful combination. I’ve given a range for the sugar – I like the smaller amount, especially with super sweet squidgy bananas.

bake muffins for 20 min

muffins should be puffed and golden when done

Get your bowl out and you’ll be eating one in 45 min!

Banana muffins

  • 125g butter
  • 150-180g raw sugar
  • 3 overripe bananas
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence (optional)
  • 2 eggs
  • 60g (1/4c) Greek (or plain full fat) yoghurt
  • 1 tsp bicarb soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 300g plain flour (substitute part wholemeal if you like)
  • 50-100g chocolate (optional, and whatever colour you prefer!)

Preheat oven to 180C. Line a muffin pan with paper or silicon cases or squares of baking paper.

Put the butter in a large pyrex jug or bowl, and melt in the microwave on low power. Add the sugar and whole peeled bananas and mash in with a fork. Add the vanilla, eggs, and yoghurt and beat together with your fork (switch to a spatula at this point if you like). Tip in the bicarb, baking powder and salt, and whisk in, followed by the flour, and quickly stir together, don’t overmix. Gently stir in the chopped chocolate (or chips).

Scoop into the lined pans, and bake for about 20 minutes, until well risen and golden. Tip out onto a rack to cool. If you want to eat warm, try to give them 15 minutes first 🙂 They store for a few days at room temperature, and freeze well.

Makes 12