Banana Chocolate Swirl Muffins

Banana Chocolate Swirl Muffins puts mashed bananas, granulated sugar and packed light brown sugar at the center of a muffin recipe and finishes in about 41 minutes, enough for 18 muffins.

• Yield 18 muffins
• Ready in 41 minutes
• Prep 25 minutes
• Cook 16 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas, about 4 medium bananas
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup neutral-flavored oil (like canola, vegetable, grapeseed, avocado)
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (natural, unsweetened or Dutch-process)
• 1/4 cup boiling or VERY hot water
• Coarse sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (If using a dark-coated pan, reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.) Line a muffin tin with paper liners. This recipe makes about 18 muffins, so you'll need to bake a second smaller batch (or use a second muffin tin).
2. In a large bowl, add the bananas, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk together until well combined.
3. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Mix until no dry streaks remain (batter will be slightly lumpy; that's ok...don't over mix).
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and boiling water until smooth. Add 1 1/4 cups (325 g) of the banana batter to the chocolate mixture and mix until combined and no streaks of light colored batter remain (again, try not to over mix).
5. Into each muffin cup: scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons banana batter, followed by a scant 1 tablespoon of chocolate batter, followed by another 1 1/2 tablespoons of banana batter, and finishing with another teaspoon or so of chocolate batter. SEE NOTE BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL TIPS ON FILLING THE MUFFIN CUPS and what to do with extra batter.
6. Sprinkle a light dusting of coarse sugar over the muffin cups, if desired.
7. Bake for 17 to 19 minutes until the tops of the muffins spring back lightly to the touch.
8. Remove the muffins from the tin to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cool the bake on a rack until the crumb sets, then slice.