A few days ago one of my colleagues gave me some overly ripe bananas so they wouldn’t go to waste. I was about to make a loaf of old fashioned banana bread when my creative instincts took over. All of a sudden I found myself melting chocolate, and chopping dried cherries and walnuts. As I worked I started thinking this might just make a delicious Valentine’s Day breakfast!
No, it’s not fancy, but since Valentine’s Day falls on a Friday this year, breakfast is going to be grab-and-go. These cute little muffins will get the day off to a delicious start though. A little chocolate with a little cherry dresses up these banana nut muffins beautifully.
Mark was hesitant about the cherries. He thought it might be too many flavors, but the sourness of the cherries complements the sweetness from the chocolate and the bananas. At least, I think so. I’m not sure he was convinced (I made a few plain chocolate banana muffins for him).
I have to agree with him though – that is a lot of flavors! The banana in this is not overpowering – the chocolate really covers it up. In this recipe, I think the banana really just adds moisture, allowing you to use less fat than a traditional muffin. Yes, there is still butter in this recipe, but not as much as a traditional muffin recipe. You do get a hint of banana flavor, but the chocolate and cherries are what really shine.
So, I’m calling them a success! If you try them, let me know what you think in the comments!
Valentine’s Day Breakfast Muffins
Equipment
- 12 cup muffin tin
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter unsalted, softened
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 eggs
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3-4 bananas over-ripe, crushed
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate melted
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup dry cherries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin and set aside.
- Cream sugar, butter, and salt until light and fluffy; about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well.
- Sift flour with the baking soda and gradually add it to the butter mixture.
- Mix in the crushed bananas and melted chocolate until the chocolate is well blended.
- Gently stir in the walnuts and cherries.
- Spoon equal amounts of the batter into the greased muffin tin.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for ~ 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in muffin tin for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.
