Baking with B: Chocolate Banana Cookies

You guys, I have the solution for banana bread boredom- you know, when you use so many overripe bananas you start to get sick of baking with them? (I know right? How could you get sick of banana bread? Or these banana muffins.)

Enter the chocolate banana cookie, the cookie that tastes like chocolate cake, with just a hint of banana flavor. This cake-like cookie even has the stamp of approval from my co-worker Lucy who, to the best of my knowledge, has never consumed a piece of fruit. Like ever.

Try these! They’re easy and yummy and I promise you’ll never feel like you’re in a rut baking with bananas again.

Chocolate Banana Cookies (yields 60)

1 c. margarine or butter, softened

1 c. brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 c. mashed banana

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. cocoa

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips (optional)

Cream margarine and brown sugar together in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla until well blended. Add banana. Beat well until mixed.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Gradually add to banana mixture until well blended.

If desired, add chocolate chips. (This is highly desired.) Stir until evenly distributed. Drop by level tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake in 350F oven for about 14 minutes.

Happy baking!

B

Baking with B appears every other Monday on the Keeping Busy with B Blog. Find out why I like baking so much here. For more of my baking, click here. And for even more recipe inspiration, check out my Pinterest full of food eye candy that will have you licking your computer. Promise.

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Baking with B: Banana Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting

I normally don’t get weekends off so when I do happen to get two days of vacation in a row (it doesn’t happen often!) I try to cram as much in my schedule as humanly possible. Isn’t it funny that we use our vacation time to get things done?

So when I woke up yesterday morning and realized something had to be done with the rapidly ripening bananas in my fruit basket, I was feeling kind of frustrated and bored with everything. The solution? Whip up something a little extra-special to brighten my mood.

Banana Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting (yields 12)

(based loosely on the recipe found here)

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

3/4 c. butter, melted

3 ripe bananas, mashed (for a total of about 1 1/2 c.)

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 375F. In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Make a well in the bowl and slowly add in wet ingredients one at a time, stirring just until blended. Line a 12-muffin pan with liners. Slowly use a spoon to pour even amounts of butter in each muffin cup. Bake in the middle rack for twenty minutes.

B’s Tip: Wait until the cupcakes are completely cool before frosting, or you can end up making a runny, sticky mess with the icing.

Cinnamon Frosting

(again, loosely based on the recipe found here)

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 1/4 c. icing sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp cream

Cream together butter and sugar. Add in the cinnamon; stir until completely blended. Add just enough drops of cream until it can be stirred into a smooth consistency.

The cinnamon in this frosting gives it enough of a spicy kick in the pants to cut the sweetness so you can enjoy the subtle yum of the banana cake part underneath. So far I’ve made these babies twice, and there have been no survivors.

Happy baking!

B

Baking with B appears every other Monday on the Keeping Busy with B Blog. Find out why I like baking so much here. For more of my baking, click here. And for even more recipe inspiration, check out my Pinterest full of food eye candy that will have you licking your computer. Promise.

Feeling ambitious? I’ve got more cupcake recipes here, and I share my method on how I make them for the masses here.

Baking with B: Banana Muffins

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t include these muffins as a staple in their baking repertoire, but if you are one of those who does not, never fear: this is probably one of the simplest recipes ever. Best of all, it’s a great way to use up those overripe bananas that are sitting in your fruit basket. Or banana tree. Or wherever you keep your bananas.

Banana Muffins (yields 12)

1 1/2 c. flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 c. butter, melted

3/4 c. sugar

1 egg

3 bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 c.)

Melt butter gently in a saucepan over medium heat or in a microwave-proof bowl for 30 seconds. Let stand. In a medium-sized bowl, sift together your flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a separate bowl, mix together butter, sugar, eggs and bananas. Gradually add in flour mixture mixing well. Spoon batter into greased muffin pan, or one lined with muffin cups. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350F until tops are lightly golden. If you are making miniature muffins leave them in for only fifteen.

B’s Tip: It’s true what they say- ripe bananas have the best flavor. My saying for bananas is this: “If they’re not good enough to eat, they’re good enough to bake with.” Okay, I don’t really say that. But it is true. If your banana is covered with waaay too many black spots for your liking, use them to make these muffins. If your bananas are already starting to go but you don’t have time to make muffins, freeze them for up a month. Just remember to let them get until room temperature before mashing them and adding them to your batter. Cold bananas make all that butter you just warmed chilly again which gets you- you guessed it- chunks. No one wants butter chunks in their muffins.

These muffins are best served warm, cold, day or night- anytime! The best part about them is that they’re so versatile. Leave them as is and serve them warm with a lick of butter and a cup of tea. Or why not create your own variation? Add in 1/2 c. of your favorite nuts to the batters before scooping it into the muffin cups. I think walnuts go amazingly with this recipe. Or why not add chocolate chips? (Everyone’s favorite.) A co-worker of mine made these the other day with butterscotch chips and they tasted really good as well.

Happy baking!

B

Baking with B appears every other Monday on the Keeping Busy with B Blog. Find out why I like baking so much here. For more of my baking, click here. And for even more recipe inspiration, check out my Pinterest full of food eye candy that will have you licking your computer. Promise.