Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Banana Bread Muffins with Peanut Butter Chips


I got this recipe from one of my new favorite blogs, How Sweet It Is. These muffins are perfectly dense and so yummy! The peanut butter chips give them a nice flavor without being overwhelming.

I cut them in half, toast them for a few minutes and put some butter on them.....such an amazing breakfast!

Now, I made these regular size...even though I love my muffins in Giant form! I only did this because I am trying to watch my diet, and I don't need to be eating twice the muffin for breakfast....although I would love to!

Ingredients (makes 12 muffins)

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup peanut butter chips (I use Reese's brand)

Directions (Soooo Easy!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place muffin cups in muffin tins
2. Mix sugar, applesauce, and egg until creamy and light yellow. 
3. Add bananas and vanilla. 
4. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. 
5. Stir until completely smooth. 
6. Fold in peanut butter chips. 
7. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until toothpick poked in center muffin comes out clean. I am starting to think my oven bakes hot, because these only took 22 minutes for me, and all my recipes are coming out on the low end of the baking times lately....maybe I should get an oven thermometer!

Banana Bunny Cupcakes for Grandma

Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Banana Frosting

My grandma's birthday is Sunday, so naturally I made her cupcakes! She likes Banana Cake, Chocolate, and Bunnies (especially bunnies)! Here's a cupcake that combines them all.

Banana Cupcakes (From Cupcake Project)
(made 22 cupcakes)

I found this recipe and it appealed to me because it looked super easy, and it was! Pop everything in the mixer and off to the oven they go. The cake was dense, but good, like a very moist banana bread in cupcake form! Goes perfectly with the chocolate banana frosting!

Little Bunny Garnish

• 1 Stick Butter 
• 1 C Sugar 
• 2 Eggs 
• 1/2 C Sour Cream 
• 1 tsp baking soda 
• 2 C flour 
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 2 Bananas, smashed 

1. Cream Butter and Sugar 
2. Add Eggs 
3. Add Sour Cream, Flour, and Baking Soda 
4. Add vanilla and smashed Bananas 
5. 5.Bake for 16-18 mins at 350 degrees.

Hop Hop Hop!

Chocolate Banana Frosting (from Love and Olive Oil)

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature 
• 1/2 cup ripe banana, smashed (about 1 banana) 
• 4 tablespoons cocoa powder 
• 4-5 cups confectioners' sugar 
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Cream butter until smooth and fluffy, 2-3 minutes 
2. Add banana and mix on high speed until few lumps remain. 
3. Add cocoa powder and 1 cup powdered sugar and beat until combined. 
4. Continue adding powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition until you reach the desired consistency. 
5. Mix in vanilla. Continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes, adding more sugar if necessary. 
6. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes. I used Wilton tip #1A. Garnish with banana slices. 

Pre-Bunny

So cute!

Banana  Garnish

To garnish these cupcakes I took a slice of banana and piped a bunny figure, using Wilton Tip #2 onto each one with melted milk chocolate. 

Every day I wonder why we haven't bought a microwave yet! I am sick of the double boiler! 

Make sure to pop em in the freezer for a few minutes to harden the chocolate. (these are yummy to eat by themselves too!)

The Finished Product

In their 'rabbit hole' off to see Grandma!