Triple Chocolate Muffins

 

Muffins = legally sanctioned cake for breakfast.  

{Please don't tell the First Lady.}

These Triple Chocolate Muffins may not be the most gorgeous, but, oh baby....warm from the oven with two kinds of melty chocolate chips?   They are pure decadence.

The day I made them, I ate one for breakfast, one for a mid-morning snack, 1.5 for lunch and one mid-afternoon.  {Muumuus will be all the rage this summer, right?}

Triple Chocolate Muffins

1/2 c. (1 stick) salted butter
1 and 3/4 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour
2/3 c. dutch-process cocoa (such as Hershey's Special Dark)
1 and 1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. instant espresso powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 c. bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 c. milk
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tsp. white vinegar

Line a muffin tin with 12 paper cups. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 425.

Melt the butter; set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla and vinegar until blended. Stir in the cooled, melted butter.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.  Stir with a rubber spatula, just until blended.

Spoon into the prepared muffin liners...the cups will be very full. {Be sure to lick the spoon...this batter is SO yummy!}

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the muffins bounce back when pressed with a finger.  Cool on a wire cooling rack for 5 minutes.


Remove from the pan and let them cool just a bit longer.  Serve warm.

Confession: I have one small white plate. Once we started, kiddo would.not.stop.eating to let me take a picture of the melty insides of his on the pretty white plate.  Note to self: buy more white plates.

Pumpkin Muffins, two ways

It's still November, so it's STILL pumpkin season, right?

I've confessed my love for pumpkin already...let me share with you two of my favorite muffins. One savory, one sweet.

These Pumpkin Cheddar Muffins come from the Baked Explorations cookbook.  I am IN.LOVE. with these muffins (I would happily eat all 12 in one sitting).  Even though they are listed in the breakfast section of the cookbook, they are wonderful with a cup of butternut squash soup or a bowl chili.

Pumpkin Cheddar Muffins
{adapted from Baked Explorations}

1 c. canned pumpkin
3 TBSP sour cream
2 eggs
1 stick unsalted butter, cooled and melted
2 c. flour
1 & 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 & 1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1 & 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. light brown sugar
1 & 1/4  c. grated sharp white cheddar

Preheat oven to 400.  Use a paper towel to lightly coat the insides of 12 muffin cups with vegetable oil.

Whisk together the pumpkin and sour cream.  Whisk in the eggs and cooled, melted butter until combined.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, cayenne, salt, pepper and brown sugar.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients into the well and gently fold until combined.  Fold in 3/4ths of the cheese.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups.  Sprinkle tops with the remaining cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out the muffins to a cooling rack.  Serve warm.

{{*sigh*}}

Next up....the sweet.

These muffins can also be called "cake muffins."  They're SO easy and SO delicious.  Yes, they are made from a cake mix...and you know, a cake mix now and then comes in handy.

{And that pumpkin makes 'em healthy. Trust me, I'm a blogger.}

If you are one of the crazy pumpkin-haters (and I know you're out there), never fear, these don't taste like pumpkin, they taste like CAKE!

Vanilla Pumpkin Muffins

2 egg whites
1 box French Vanilla cake mix
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
sanding or sparkling sugar

Preheat the oven to 350.  Lightly coat 15 or so baking liners with cooking spray or vegetable oil.  Place in a muffin tin.

Lightly beat the egg whites. Stir in the cake mix and the pumpkin.  Stir until combined.

Spoon into the prepared baking cups and top with a bit of sanding sugar for a little sparkle.  Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tops bounce back when gently pressed.

Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then remove and cool completely on a cooling rack.

How do you like your pumpkin?  Sweet or savory?

Spa Sweets : Chocolate Banana Muffins

What's the first thing you think of when you think of going to a spa?  Food, right?

I know, it's strange, but when I think of spas, my mind wanders to thoughts of "spa cuisine" (especially if it involves the HERSHEY SPA)!

So, when Chevy sent a friend and me to the spa for 1-hour massages, my mind naturally went to Chocolate Banana Muffins.  Lori from Recipe Girl (love!) featured a recipe from The Rancho La Puerta Cookbook , Chocolate Banana Bread last year and it's delicious!

I changed it up just a bit and made Chocolate Banana Muffins.  They may just be the unhealthiest, healthy muffins you've ever eaten.  No added sugar...except for the chocolate chips and banana chips, and well, the sprinkling of sugar on top.

They also have a secret ingredient: PRUNES!

Spa Chocolate Banana Muffins
{adapted from Recipe Girl &The Rancho La Puerta Cookbook }

10 oz. pitted dried prunes
2 c. water
1 c. minus 1 TBSP all-purpose (or WHITE whole wheat) flour
1/2 c. dutch-process cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 and 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. mashed ripe banana (about 2 bananas)
2 eggs
1/2 c. chocolate-covered banana chips (or reg. banana chips)
1 c. bittersweet chocolate chips (Ghiradelli)
sparkling or sanding sugar (optional)

Combine the prunes and water in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce to a simmer  and cook for 20 minutes.  Drain.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350.  Butter 12 cups of a muffin tin.  If you are really paranoid like me, line the bottoms of the muffin cups with a small circle of parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon and baking soda.  Set aside.

Process the prunes and bananas in a food processor until smooth.  Add eggs and process until combined.

Stir the prune mixture into the flour until combined. Add in the banana chips and chocolate chips.  Spoon into prepared muffin cups.  Sprinkle with sparkling sugar.

Bake 16-20 minutes until the tops bounce back when lightly pressed.  Cool on a cooling rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely.  Enjoy!

These muffins are another delicious change from your regular banana bread recipe. Ah, banana bread, where will you take us next? ;)

{And thank you, Chevy, for the massage! }

Pecan Pie Muffins, Snickerdoodles and a giveaway (oh my!)

So, when Jane Doiron asked if I would like to giveaway her cookbook on the blog, I said "of course!" because....

a. one can never have too many cookbooks, and
b. bloggers with cookbooks are a good thing. *ahem*

Jane's cookbook is called Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms. It's 208 pages of recipes, all with either make-ahead or freeze-ahead instructions.

I fully intend to try the main courses out, but you know me, I zeroed in on the sugar pretty quick.


Let's start with breakfast....Mini Pecan Pie Muffins! I had to try them. FIVE ingredients and they DO taste like pecan pie!


My mom used to make little pecan tarts, we called them Pecan Chewies, for my Uncle Mike every time he came to visit. These reminded me A LOT of those, but without the crust. Uncle Mike, are you reading? You need these! ;)

Next up...Snickerdoodles.


I have a confession. It's a biggie. I've never made snickerdoodles. I don't even think I've ever eaten a homemade snickerdoodle.

These.Are.Incredible. Why didn't you guys tell me!?!?! Soft, buttery, cinnamon-y...perfect with a cup of tea or a glass of milk....or a beer. {I'm just sayin'.}



Here's another confession. I did share some with my sister, but these in the ribbon? I immediately untied and ate them.

Mini Pecan Pie Muffins
(recipe courtesy of Jane Doiron, Make-Ahead Meals)

1 c light brown sugar
1 c pecans, chopped
1/2 c flour
2/3 c butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten


Spray 20 mini muffin cups with nonstick spray (I used butter); set aside. Preheat the oven to 350.

In a medium bowl, mix all of the ingredients together. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups evenly.


{I ended up with a little extra batter and instead of eating it like I normally do, I overfilled the cups. I shouldn't have...don't follow my bad example!}

Bake for 18-20 minutes. The edges will be crispy. Do not overbake. Remove the muffins and cool on a wire rack.

~Freeze~
When the muffins are completely cool, place them in a freezer bag and freeze up to 2 months.


Snickerdoodles
(recipe courtesy of Jane Doiron, Make-Ahead Meals)

2 & 3/4 c flour
1 & 1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c butter
1/2 c shortening
1 & 1/2 c sugar
2 large eggs
2 TBSP sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; set aside. In another bowl, cream the butter, shortening and 1 & 1/2 c sugar. Blend in the eggs at low speed.

Add the flour mixture (I did this in 3 additions), and mix until combined.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon.



Roll 1 TBSP of dough into a ball and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place dough on cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.

Bake at 350 for 8-9 minutes. Do not overbake. the centers will be soft, but will set upon cooling. (A very thin cookie spatula helps in transferring because they are so soft.) Cool on a wire rack. Makes 4 & 1/2 dozen (I made mine a little big...I got about 30.)

~Freezing directions~
Place the sugar coated cookie dough on a large sheet pan in a single layer. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 2-3 hours. Place the dough in a labeled freezer bag. Write the baking directions on the bag. Freeze up to 2 months.

---

Would you like to win Jane's book? Here's how to enter....leave a comment telling your favorite food to make-ahead. Cookies? Lasagne? Potato Salad? What is it?

{Tweet it for an extra entry...and leave a separate comment.}

The winner will be chosen randomly Monday, January 18th at 8pm CST. Thanks for entering! You can take a closer look at Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms here on Amazon!

Chocolate Pumpkin Mini-Muffins

Have you made those muffins that call just for a box of cake mix and a can of pumpkin?


I made them last year, but I had forgotten all about them until blog hopping one day brought me to The Bake-Off Flunkie. It's really a great blog and she posted a similar recipe, but with CHOCOLATE cake mix and chocolate chips. Now why hadn't I thought of that?!?

This is the easiest recipe. The pumpkin keeps the muffins moist, adds fiber and makes me feel a little less guilty eating 7 of them in one sitting. ;)

Chocolate Pumpkin Mini-Muffins
(makes approx 43 mini muffins)

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
1/2 c mini chocolate chips
2 egg whites
2 TBSP water

Preheat the oven to 375. Grease the insides of your mini muffin liners, otherwise the muffins will stick to the paper. (I use vegetable oil and a paper towel for this job.) Place in mini muffin tins.


{Yes, it is a pain, but it'll give you more time to appreciate the cuteness of your liners.}

In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until a little foamy.


Add in the remaining ingredients and stir until well-blended. Use a tablespoon to fill prepared baking cups. Bake for about 13-15 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from pans and let cool on a rack.

Disclaimer: See those chocolate chips on the top of every muffin? I added those as soon as they came out of the oven because without them they looked a little like, ahem, poop muffins. These are not elegant looking muffins. Call 'em poo-poo muffins if you have boys; we did. You won't hurt my feelings. Don't let that stop you from eating them, though!


In case you missed it, Jessica of This, That, and Your Blog is offering Bake at 350 readers a 5% discount off her already reasonable prices on a custom blog design of $35 or more. Just mention Bake at 350 when placing your order.


Related posts:

• banana cinnamon chip muffins
• meyer lemon-vanilla scones

Banana Cinnamon Chip Muffins

Mornings & I don't get along well. But, at the beginning of each school year I try to start off on the right foot...pancakes, muffins, scones....

{By May, we're knee-deep in granola bars and applesauce cups.}

Let me introduce you to my new favorite breakfast...the Banana Cinnamon Chip Muffin.

Normally, I only see cinnamon chips around the holidays, but King Arthur Flour sells the mini version year-round. Woo-hoo!

Banana Cinnamon Chip Muffins
(These are inspired by a Banana/chocolate/walnut muffin recipe from The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion.)

1/2 c salted butter (yes, salted)
1 c sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 mashed, ripe bananas
1/3 c milk
2 c flour (white-whole wheat, unbleached all-purpose, or a mix)
1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 & 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse salt
3/4 c mini cinnamon chips

Preheat the oven to 350.

Line muffin tins with 12 lightly greased baking cups/liners. (I use a paper-towel coated in oil and wipe the insides of the liners.)

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl. Add the egg, spices, banana and milk. Stir in the dry mixture, then the cinnamon chips (reserve a few TBSP of chips). Once all the cups are filled, sprinkle the reserved chips on top.

Spoon batter into the prepared cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle come out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack, then invert out of the pan to cool completely or serve warm.


Related posts:

1. Pumpkin Cream Cheese
2. Homemade English Muffins
3. Meyer Lemon-Vanilla Scones