Double chocolate BANANA muffins WITH MASCARPONE FROSTING AND BOURBON CARAMEL SAUCE

By SewingDragonfly

From the blogspot: Call Me Cupcake. If you don't have buttermilk at home, you can make your own by adding 1 tbsp lemon juice to just under 1 cup of milk. I actually mixed a little sour cream, milk and lemon juice and it worked like a charm!

Ingredients

• Double chocolate banana muffins
• makes 20-22 medium sized muffins or about 15-17 normal sized
• INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups (300 g) all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp (80 g) cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp baking powder (yes, tablespoon!)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp (250 g) granulated sugar
• 100 g butter (1 scant stick), melted
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 very ripe bananas
• 150 g dark chocolate (70%), coarsely chopped (or chocolate chips)

Preparation

Step 1

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat oven to 200°c (392°F). Prepare a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners (or if you have two pans and can fit them both in the oven, prepare both of them with liners).
2. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl. Set aside.
3. Mix sugar, butter, buttermilk, eggs and mashed banana in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
4. Stir in chocolate, but save 1/4 of it to put on top of muffins. Divide batter between 20-22 medium sized liners, filling them almost to the very top. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate pieces.
5. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a cake tester comes out almost clean.


Bourbon caramel sauce
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 tbsp bourbon (rum would work too)
2 tbsp milk
3 ½ tbsp heavy cream
1/3 cup (70 g) granulated sugar
25 g butter
pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Carefully heat bourbon, milk and cream in a saucepan. It should be hot but not boiling.
2. Meanwhile, put the sugar in another sauce pan and heat until it starts to melt. Carefully stir sugar with a spoon until all sugar has melted and has become a golden brown color.
3. Add the butter and stir until melted. Very carefully (it will bubble up!) add the heated cream mixture. Stir until smooth, add the salt and pour into a jar to cool. Put in the fridge to become completely cold.


Mascarpone frosting
Makes enough frosting for about 12 muffins

INGREDIENTS
250 g mascarpone
1-2 tbsp powdered sugar (or to taste)
½ cup heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Beat the mascarpone and sugar until smooth. Add cream and beat until firm.
2. Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe ”blobs” of frosting on top of the muffins. Pour some caramel sauce on top of each muffin.