Chocolate Banana Cupcakes

Oh what a day for chocolate-y goodness!!! One of this week's little gems was this bad boy! Actually, I'll gonna call this one a 'good' boy. 'Good' because it is COMPLETELY guilt-free, and also because it is soooo good in my tummy, and makes me happy about my chocolate-y filled life! Ha!

Oh - you think I'm over-selling them? Nope... just you wait! I strongly suggest that you jump outta bed (assuming that's where you look at most of your new recipes - or, is that just me? lol), throw on some toasty jammies ('cause it's Fall, of course), get your cute tushy into the kitchen, and whip yourself up some of this happiness! Stat!

So, first, before we dive right in, let me quantify the 'good-for-you' portion of this heavenly gem. No refined sugar. No brown sugar. No sugar sugar. Like, at all. That's really important to me. I have been trying to keep (most of) my treats clean-eating treats, so that we can indulge without dying a little on the inside every time. Ha!

Also, we use just a smidge of grain flour, and supplement with oat flour. Add in goodies like coconut oil, pure maple syrup, Greek yoghurt and a ripe banana, and you're set! Now, before you roll your eyes at yet another healthy banana recipe, this one really is all about the chocolate. Yes, there is a banana, but there's just a hint of taste. Besides, it allows us to feel good about eating chocolate! Isn't that worth it! (So, why all the banana? Because it gives you a natural sweetness so you can - you guessed it - avoid the sugars.)

Let's get started, shall we?

First, get your egg onto the counter to warm to room temperature. This is really important in muffins, cakes or anything you want to have rise to fluffy goodness. When an egg is at room temperature, it breaks up more easily and will blend better with the rest of the ingredients, and then magic baking fairies sprinkle love and happy dust over everything and - presto - you've got more fluff. Science, my friends ;o)

Next, get out your handy-dandy chopper (yes, my FAV kitchen tool EVER!) Throw your oats in and grind them up.

Put the oats into a separate bowl with the remainder of your dry ingredients, plus the chocolate chips, and stir together.

Next - and this is my favourite part! - add all of the remainder of the ingredients into the chopper and puree that baby for, like 15 seconds, until it's all fluffy and well blended!

YOU CAN SEE THE FLUFF!!!! <3

Next, you want to pour the wet ingredients in with the dry and gently spoon-stir it just until blended. Think of them like a fluffy pancake... if you over mix them, all of the air will release and they just won't be as delish. So... just until blended.

Pour them into a prepared muffin tin. You want to fill each cup. Filling them to the top is part of what will allow them to rise up and out of the tin. So good! You'll get 8.

Put them into your preheated oven. You'll notice that my muffin/cupcake temps are a little higher than you typically see. That's because the higher heat (along with the room-temp egg, buttermilk and the full muffin cups) add to higher-rising cupcakes.

Bake for 12 minutes until the centres are cooked (no longer wet) and they start to lift away from the pan... like so...

Let them cool a few minutes and they'll pop right out! You can continue to let them cool, or eat all of them at once in a fit of chocolate-crazed madness!!

No? Ok... eat one, and put the rest in your fancy 'dome of happiness' (as my husband has taken to calling ours).

See?! Make 8. Eat 1. 7 fit nicely on the plate! Perfect!

Don't forget - when you make your own, remember to take a photo and share it online at Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #recipesbyjenn and by tagging @recipesbyjenn. That way, I can see your photos and share them with all my friends! Plus, I get to feature them on this site along with all my other photos!