CHOCOLATE BANANA + ZUCCHINI MUFFINS
12 People
171 Cals
CHOCOLATE BANANA + ZUCCHINI MUFFINS
12 People
171 Cals
About the recipe
Gluten Free • Flourless • Naturally Sweetened • Rich + Super MoistIf you love chocolate, these Chocolate Banana + Zucchini Muffins are the kind of recipe you'll want to make on repeat.Rich, fudgy and beautifully moist, they're made without flour or refined sugar and packed with simple wholefood ingredients including zucchini, ripe banana, almond butter, flaxseed and dark chocolate. You'd honestly never know there's a generous amount of zucchini hiding inside.The zucchini adds natural moisture and a little extra fibre, while banana and a touch of honey provide just enough natural sweetness. Almond butter, eggs and flaxseed add protein, healthy fats and fibre, helping make these muffins more satisfying than your average chocolate muffin.Cocoa and good-quality dark chocolate provide naturally occurring cocoa polyphenols, while the combination of nuts, seeds, fruit and vegetables makes these a delicious way to bring a little more plant diversity into your day.They're also naturally gluten free, with no flour required, and are perfect for breakfast on the run, lunchboxes or whenever you feel like a little chocolate therapy.I love them slightly warm while the pieces of dark chocolate are still deliciously melted. Enjoy them just as they are, or serve with a spoonful of thick Greek yoghurt and fresh berries for a beautiful breakfast or afternoon treat.
Nutrition Per Serving
171
Calories
12g
Fat
3g
Saturates
9g
Sugars
86mg
Salt
5g
Protein
16g
Carbs
4g
Fibre
Ingredients
- 250 g zucchini coarsely grated and squeezed well to remove excess moisture (approximately 1 large zucchini — 250 g weight after squeezing)
- 1 large ripe banana mashed (140 g)
- 125 g ½ cup natural almond butter or cashew butter
- 2 large eggs
- 60 ml maple syrup
- 30 g ground flaxseed
- 30 g cacao powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of cinnamon
- 100 g good-quality dark chocolate 70%, roughly chopped
Method
- Preheat your oven to 170°C fan. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
- Grate the zucchini, then place it into a clean tea towel and squeeze really well to remove as much excess moisture as possible. You want 250 g zucchini after squeezing.
- Mash the banana in a large bowl until smooth.
- Add the almond butter, eggs, honey, ground flaxseed and vanilla, then mix until well combined.
- Add the cocoa powder, baking powder and sea salt and mix again until you have a smooth chocolate batter.
- Fold through the squeezed zucchini and approximately three-quarters of the chopped dark chocolate.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 muffin cases, then scatter over the remaining dark chocolate.
- Bake for 22–25 minutes, or until the muffins are just set and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Take care not to overbake them — they're at their best when the centres remain beautifully moist and fudgy.
NOTES + INSPIRATION
The secret is squeezing the zucchini well.
Zucchini contains a lot of water, so make sure you squeeze out as much moisture as possible after grating. You need 250 g of zucchini after squeezing. This keeps the muffins moist and fudgy without becoming wet or heavy. Use ripe bananas.
The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavoursome your muffins will be. Choose a natural almond butter.
I use a smooth almond butter made simply from roasted almonds. You can also use cashew or macadamia butter for a slightly different flavour. Choose a good dark chocolate.
I love a quality 70% dark chocolate, roughly chopped so you get lovely pockets of melted chocolate throughout. You can also use dark chocolate chips. Nut-free option.
For a nut-free version, swap the almond butter for a smooth seed butter such as sunflower seed butter or tahini. Just keep in mind that tahini will give the muffins a slightly more grown-up, bittersweet flavour — which I actually love with chocolate. Add a little orange.
Chocolate and orange are beautiful together. Add the finely grated zest of 1 orange to the batter, or serve with Greek yoghurt, orange zest and a drizzle of honey. For breakfast.
Serve one with thick Greek yoghurt and fresh berries for a more substantial breakfast. The yoghurt adds extra protein and a lovely freshness against the rich chocolate. For dessert.
Warm a muffin gently and serve with Greek yoghurt, fresh raspberries and a little grated dark chocolate. Simple, but seriously delicious. Don't overbake.
These aren't meant to have a dry, cakey crumb. Take them out when they're just cooked through and still slightly fudgy in the centre. They'll continue to set as they cool. And one little variation I think would be spectacular for you: Chocolate Zucchini + Raspberry Muffins — press 2–3 fresh raspberries into the top of each muffin before baking, along with the chopped dark chocolate. The tart raspberry against the banana and dark chocolate would be gorgeous.
Zucchini contains a lot of water, so make sure you squeeze out as much moisture as possible after grating. You need 250 g of zucchini after squeezing. This keeps the muffins moist and fudgy without becoming wet or heavy. Use ripe bananas.
The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavoursome your muffins will be. Choose a natural almond butter.
I use a smooth almond butter made simply from roasted almonds. You can also use cashew or macadamia butter for a slightly different flavour. Choose a good dark chocolate.
I love a quality 70% dark chocolate, roughly chopped so you get lovely pockets of melted chocolate throughout. You can also use dark chocolate chips. Nut-free option.
For a nut-free version, swap the almond butter for a smooth seed butter such as sunflower seed butter or tahini. Just keep in mind that tahini will give the muffins a slightly more grown-up, bittersweet flavour — which I actually love with chocolate. Add a little orange.
Chocolate and orange are beautiful together. Add the finely grated zest of 1 orange to the batter, or serve with Greek yoghurt, orange zest and a drizzle of honey. For breakfast.
Serve one with thick Greek yoghurt and fresh berries for a more substantial breakfast. The yoghurt adds extra protein and a lovely freshness against the rich chocolate. For dessert.
Warm a muffin gently and serve with Greek yoghurt, fresh raspberries and a little grated dark chocolate. Simple, but seriously delicious. Don't overbake.
These aren't meant to have a dry, cakey crumb. Take them out when they're just cooked through and still slightly fudgy in the centre. They'll continue to set as they cool. And one little variation I think would be spectacular for you: Chocolate Zucchini + Raspberry Muffins — press 2–3 fresh raspberries into the top of each muffin before baking, along with the chopped dark chocolate. The tart raspberry against the banana and dark chocolate would be gorgeous.
