Baby Shower Baking: Banana Espresso Chip Mini Muffins

This is another Baked recipe – but miniaturized! Warning: muffins in the picture may appear larger than they actually are.

These look like big muffins, but in reality they were wee, wee muffins – so wee, in fact, that they got gobbled up quite quickly.

I’m a huge fan of mini-muffins and -cupcakes. They’re bite-sized and, with cupcakes, let you get frosting and cake flavors at once in perfect proportion. Besides, tiny things are cute. I should know – I’m 5 feet tall…

Anyway, here’s the recipe. Check back later this week for more blog mission-oriented posts!

Banana Espresso Chip Mini Muffins (Makes about 36 mini muffins or 12 full-size muffins)

1 1/2 c. mashed, very ripe bananas (about 4)
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted
1/4 c. whole milk
1 large egg
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. instant espresso powder (I use Medaglia D’Oro)
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin pan.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the bananas, sugars, butter, milk, and egg. In a second bowl, whisk together the flour, instant espresso powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
3. Fill each cup 2/3 full (about 1 overflowing tablespoon, for mini muffin cups). Bake in the center of the oven for 10-12 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins cool for about 15 minutes, then pop them out of the pan and let them finish cooling. Muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.