DIY Food Gifts: Homemade Mini Muffins (Banana and Chocolate)

Alright, back to the homemade goodies for Christmas.  Here’s the second recipe that I’m using for my food gifts.

Skip the gift card this year and give that special person on your list something you know they’ll love.

A Homemade Gift!

My Mom gave me this recipe a few years back.  She had found it in some Best of Something Cookbook.  If I knew the cookbook/magazine that it came from I would give them proper credit.

I LOVE BANANA BREAD!  This recipe makes a total of four loaf pans.  The last time that I made it I chose to make them into muffins and had some extra chocolate leftover from another recipe, so guess what? 

Ingredients: 

1 Cup of Oleo

3 Cups of Sugar

6 eggs

3 Cups of Sour Cream

4 tsp. Baking Soda

2 tsp. Vanilla

4-5 Mashed Bananas

1 tsp. Salt

5 Cups of Flour

*12 oz bag of mini chocolate chips

Supplies:

Mini muffin pans.  I love Wilton’s pans.

Mini muffin papers.  I did half the batch using the papers and the rest without.  Your choice.  

Large Cooling rack

Small Cookie Scoop

Large spoon (soup bowl size)

(3) Mixing bowls.  “Sorry” you will have a few extra dishes with this one, but well worth it!

Here’s what you do:

-Cream together the oleo, sugar, and eggs in one bowl.  Set aside.

-Grab another bowl and mix together the sour cream and baking soda.  Set aside.  You’ll notice the mixture foaming.

-In your third bowl mash the bananas.  I’ve been waiting all week for them to go black for this recipe. Lately the supermarket has been getting greener than green ones in.  Perhaps it’s always been this way and I’m just being a tad more observant than usual.

-Add the vanilla, salt, and flour to the mashed bananas.  Set aside.

-Now, combine the ingredients in the first two bowls.  After they are mixed add that to the third bowl with the banana mixture.  Sounds confusing when I type it out, but it’s really simple.  After making these a few times I found that it’s much easier this way due to it being such a large batch.

-Last, add the bag of mini chocolate chips to the mixture.  Toll House never disappoints.

I like to use three mini muffin pans when using this recipe.  Using just one would take a long time to finish the huge bowl of batter.  

*Bakers tip* When filling the cups I used a cookie scoop along with a large spoon.  I hate it when I fill the tins and have spilled batter all over the pan.  Then I have to stop and clean it off or else it’ll burn when placed in the oven.  So, after you fill the cookie scoop place the spoon underneath as you transfer the dough to the tin.  Works like a charm and no mess.

I thought I was going to run out of muffin papers, so that’s why I made some without.

The oven should be set at 350 degrees.  If your using the four loaf pans bake for 50 minutes or until done.  I apologize that I didn’t time the muffins, so just keep an eye on them.  Somewhere around 12-15 minutes.

One thing about making so many is that by the time I’m done I don’t want to eat any (cause I’m sick of looking at them).  But, these little guys got stuck in the pan so I had to use a spoon to loosen them.  Can’t give those away cause they don’t look very presentable.  I guess I’ll bag them for a snack later.

With this recipe and the peanut butter/chocolate sandwiches I made last week (if you missed that one, click here) I was happy to use these huge Tupperware containers that I got from my Grandma’s.  I chose them, from her belongings, just for times like this.  She used them for Holiday baking as well.  She baked everything in advance.  Packed the containers full and in the deep freezer they went.  Ready for Christmas!  I’m glad to carry on her tradition.  She would be pleased.

Time to go.  I’m spending my Saturday night rolling out sugar cookie dough for my last holiday treat.  This year I’m “attempting” a little different approach for the cookie toppings.  Check back to see how they turn out.

Enjoy your Saturday night.

Disclosure:  This isn’t a sponsored post.  The brands that I used were solely decided on by myself and no one else. 

Until the next word…

~Jennifer