Chocolate Muffins with a Peanut Butter Swirl

This is the result of another spontaneous baking session! I was sitting, revising for those dreaded mocks next Monday, when I realized I just needed a break. I had been to the gym that morning, so that wasn't really an option. Not that gymming twice in one day isn't cool - in fact, I admire you if you do! Anyways, I didn't have anything in mind so I flipped open my laptop (ignore the fact that it was already open - this is just for dramatic effect) and looked for a healthy, yet delicious-looking recipe.

This was definitely it. I mean, just look at them. Do they look healthy? No. Do they look delicious? Yes. Are they both? YES. 

The great thing about these is that mashed bananas replace some of the moisture and sweetness, meaning that there's no need for butter or oil (!) and the sugar is cut down. And seriously, peanut butter + chocolate + bananas = heaven. Additionally, these were actually called cupcakes because the peanut butter swirl replaces the frosting, but for me, cupcakes really do need frosting... So the peanut butter swirl is just an added plus to these already yummy rich chocolate muffins! 

They take just a few minutes to mix up, not much time to bake and really only need one bowl. What are you waiting for? Get baking!

PS. Unfortunately, it was around 4 pm when these came out of the oven and it was already getting dark (bleh), so I wasn't really able to get too many great photos. But I think the one up there speaks for itself.

Ingredients
2 bananas, mashed 
2/3 cup unrefined sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup yogurt, natural or greek
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Line a muffin tin with 9 muffin cups and set aside.
In a large bowl, mash the bananas well and stir in the sugar, egg, yogurt and vanilla extract.
On top of the wet ingredients, sift the flours cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Slowly mix together, and be sure to not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips. 
Divide the batter between 9 muffin cups - fill them as high as you can! Take 1 teaspoon of the melted peanut butter and drop it on top of each of the 9 muffins. Swirl using a knife or toothpick.
Place the muffins in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow them to cool slightly, grab a cold glass of milk and enjoy!
Just kidding.. Definitely do that, but these will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or in the fridge for five days.
But really do enjoy!

Cranberry White Chocolate Scones

On Sunday I returned from one home to another.. Now I know that almost doesn't make sense, but Singapore is and forever will be my home. Yet, we now officially live in London and it was definitely nice to return to our own apartment after two weeks out of London (one of the weeks was in India!). I already miss Singapore terribly but I'd be lying if I didn't admit I love London as well. The cold weather is almost refreshing, but the early sunsets I could definitely do without!

Anyways, you may be wondering why I'm rambling on about all that other than to just share tidbits about life... Well, it's because this amazingly delicious, wholesome scones were created out of an urge to stay awake. Yes, you read correctly. At around 4 pm on Sunday, I could feel the jet lag taking effect as well as felt my lack of good sleep on the flight. I knew that if I didn't get moving and do something, I'd crash within moments. And so I did. The kitchen was calling.

On the note of getting moving, I just thought I'd share that I'm actually on the elliptical in the gym as I write this post!

Back to baking - It's still winter and although the festive season is over, these white chocolate cranberry scones looked too good to resist. Unlike your traditional butter-laden scone, these are made with a mere two tablespoons of butter, whole-wheat flour, rolled oats, buttermilk and just enough sugar. The light drizzle of glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness. 

I ate one for breakfast yesterday morning and fell in love. It's definitely a keeper. In fact, by swapping out the cinnamon, cranberries and white chocolate, you could customize these any way you wish to. They take all of 15 minutes to whip up, and only 25-30 minutes in the oven. There's no excuse.

Trust me and make these soon. YUM.

Ingredients (recipe adapted from http://apple-of-my-eye.com/2013/12/22/white-chocolate-cranberry-scones/)

For the scones:

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup unrefined sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

3/4 cup flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp chilled butter

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup chopped white chocolate

1 tbsp unrefined sugar

For the glaze:

1/3 cup icing sugar

1 tbsp milk

Instructions 
Preheat oven to 180 C.
In a large bowl, mix together the buttermilk, sugar, vanilla extract and egg.
In another bowl, sift together the white flour, whole wheat flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Grate the butter into the flour mixture (this is such a neat technique!).
Mix the dried cranberries and white chocolate into the flour mixture.
Add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring till just combined.
Place the dough on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and form it into a circle around one inch thick. Sprinkle the sugar on the scones.
Cut the dough into 8-12 wedges, depending on your preference and bake for 25-30 minutes until center is cooked and tops are golden brown.
Let the scones cool.

For the glaze, combine the icing sugar with a milk to form a thick sugar-y drizzle. You may need to add more milk to thin it out slightly. Drizzle onto the scones.

Enjoy!