So, this is my first post of the new year. I know, I know, it’s already the 12th , but I felt like I had to mention it. 2014 sure had its ups and downs. My trip to Iceland and the release of my new book Sweet food & photography are two of my favorite things from last year.
I have been baking like never before these past weeks, something that hasn’t been very noticeable on the blog. Finally I had some time to bake for the blog.
I had two very sad looking bananas lying in my kitchen that I didn’t want to throw them away, so I figured I’d make something easy with them. Chocolate muffins maybe? Then I remembered I still had the jar of dry ingredients from my last blogpost! So I used that and added the bananas. I didn’t think these muffins could get any better, but boy was I wrong. They came out even more moist than before. So, when in doubt, add a banana or two. Well, maybe they don’t go with everything.. These muffins are absolutely perfect without the frosting, but I have a thing for this particular one. Mascarpone frosting. It’s not very sweet, it just adds that extra creaminess. And the bourbon caramel sauce. Don’t even get me started the bourbon caramel sauce. Honestly, I don’t even particularly like drinking beverages with alcohol (and especially not bourbon) but in baked goods, it just works so well.
Double chocolate BANANA muffins WITH
MASCARPONE FROSTING AND BOURBON CARAMEL SAUCE
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!
Double chocolate banana muffins
makes 20-22 medium sized muffins or about 15-17 normal sized
INGREDIENTS
2 cups (300 g) all purpose flour
¾ cup + 1 ½ 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)
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 frige to become completely cold.
Mascarpone 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 (I used Ateco 869) and pipe ”blobs” of
frosting on top of the muffins. Pour some caramel sauce on top of
each muffin.
Wow, what pretty cupcakes! The way you frosted them is so simple and gorgeous, I love it 🙂
Thanks so much June! 🙂
Ser underbart gott ut.
De är så goda! 🙂
The photos speak for themselves! Gorgeous! I wish I could have one of them right now))
By the way, how did you achieve such an interesting shape of the muffins? Did you bake them not using a muffin pan?
Thank you! 🙂
Actually, I baked them in a muffin pan for "regular" cupcake liners! These were too small for the pan, hence the weird but interesting shape 🙂
Gud, du tar ju alltid så galet snygga bilder! Och dessa cupcakes låter supergoda
This cupcake looks amazing, pictures are so pretty!
Stunning photos I cant wait to try this recipe xx
Satt på tunnelbanan på väg hem och kunde inte sluta titta på dessa fantastiska muffins! Vattnades sååå mycket i munnen! Ska definitivt prova att baka dessa snart 🙂
Kram
I must try the bourbon caramel sauce – and am I glad you mentioned it would work with rum too!!! – as I have been on the lookout for a great and easy caramel sauce for quite a while now.
Oh my yum! These photos are gorgeous!
Gorgeous as usual, Linda! I love your regular double chocolate muffin recipe, so I can't wait to try this with banana 🙂
These look insanely fabulous! I love that floofy, whimsical shape 🙂 Happy new year, Linda!!
Oh lordy, these look incredible!
Oh lordy, these look incredible!
Where can I get those adorable cupcake liners?
Your photography is just stunning! I love the Bourbon Caramel Sauce. What a beautiful treat.
Not only do these look amazing but the photography is absolutely impeccable. You are so talented at creating such a beautiful moody and dreamy scene.
Rae | love from berlin
Dang, these are some gorgeous muffins!! Looooove that frosting!
I never thought about mascarpone frosting, but I must try it out next time I bake!
I swear I die everytime you post a photo of these bad boys!!
My first post was on the 12th, so you win 😉
Can’t wait to pick up a copy of your new book when I’m in Sweden. I won’t be able to understand a thing, but that doesn’t matter! x
Haha, I'd say it's a tie Shellie! I got the dates all mixed up! Obviously I posted this on the 12th too… I so wish we could meet! x
yum, they look & sound amazing!
Oh Linda, gorgeous and delicious cupcakes!
Love everything, chocolate and banana best ever combination.
bourbon flavor in desserts is amazing, definitely I'll try in the caramel sauce.
Pinned!
Thanks for share these divine cupcakes!
Thank you so much Maribel! They are divine. Hope you'll enjoy the caramel sauce! x
omg yummy!!
xo
http://www.laurajaneatelier.com
🙂 🙂
These are so pretty and the photos and styling – just wow, no words! I have a couple of sad looking bananas too actually so I could give this a try! Thank you for bringing us so much beauty with each post dear Linda! 🙂
Thank you dear Lili <3
Nice photos – but why do you show 'fail' cupcakes??
What exactly makes them "fail" if I may ask?
Really!?!?!?
they look amaxing! I love the tone of your photos too.
These muffins just look sooooo delicious! 🙂
Too good for words. Way too good.
your images are beautiful as per usual, and I am LOVING the shape of that first cupcake – couldn't be cuter!!
i, too, enjoy a slightly savory icing and the addition of your bourbon caramel is stunning.
Tere, Linda!
Today I baked these gorgeous muffins and they tasted amazing. But before serving, I stumbled on a problem – the bourbon caramel sauce. I took the jar with cooled sauce out of the fridge but I couldn't pour it in any ways, the sauce was rock hard candy caramel. Do you have any ideas what went wrong?
Thank you for your wonderful blog!
Greetings from Estonia,
H.&M.
Hello there! 🙂
So glad you enjoyed them!
I'm guessing your sugar simply became too hot. Thing is, I actually didn't use a candy thermometer when making this but I'm guessing mine was about maybe 160°C. Usually when I make caramel the temp is around 170-175°C. You can totally skip putting it in the fridge before pouring it over the cupcakes. As long as it's room temp! Mine was almost too loose so I had to put it in the fridge for a couple of hours. Hope you succeed better next time!
Linda- I live your blog! I made your double chocolate muffins according to the recipe you posted for the DIY Xmas gifts. It calls for 1 3/4 c cocoa powder, whereas this recipe calls for 3/4 cup. I think the Xmas recipe must be wrong because my muffins turned out super dry with a powdery texture. I'll try making these muffins again according to this posting. I'm sure they'll turn out scrumptious! Thank you for sharing with us.
Oh no, I'm so sorry Sheila! Going to fix that straight away!
that sounds amazing. and looks amazing! those photos are absolutely stunning!
xo, cheyenne
Yummy!! Everything beautiful as usual! And I like the muffins' shape very much!!!
As beautiful as always 🙂 just can't stop swooning at your gorgeous pictures Linda! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Gorgeous shots – what camera/ lighting set-up did you use? I'm studying photography and any pointers would be hugely appreciated x
Very beautiful cupcakes! Linda, i don't have buttermilk, there isn't buttermilk in our magazines. So what can I use in this recipe instead of buttermilk? May i use kefir (a fermented milk product similar to yogurt)?
I am already looking forward for your new book to arrive in English. Until then I will have to bake these gorgeous cupcakes. You always get me with dark chocolatte! Love it.
xo hope
Fantastic! excellent recipe and great pictures.. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Wow, sounds and looks delicious! Love your photography!
xo Jennie
Recipe looks great – photos are stupidly awesome – you are one very VERY talented lady!!
Rxx
http://www.peppermintdolly.com
Linda you're food and PHOTOGRAPHY are amazing and so enviable! How do you get your pictures to have that kind of vintage filtered look. Do you use a filter, or is it all natural lighting. I'm really interested in what you do. One day my blog is gonna be a showstopper like yours. 🙂
-Aaron
So ridiculously gorgeous!!!
Truly beautiful photos!
Your work is truly beautiful! I always look forward to your next instagram post too, love the pics and beautiful recipes!
Hello Linda, wow your Muffins looks fantastic
dragana
This is an excellent muffin recipe Linda! I've made them today and they are heaven!
So so beautiful!!!
Pure inspiration!
I am so making that bourbon caramel sauce! That on vanilla ice cream sounds like heaven.
Hej linda! Jag är medveten om att detta är väldigt orelevant men jag hoppas verkligen du svarar ändå! Jag ska baka dina nutella cookies från sweet food and photography, men jag undrar om jag ska platta till bollarna(kakorna) innan jag gräddar dem? Eller blir dem kompakta om jag plattar till dem? Jag är rädd att om jag inte plattar ut bollarna så flyter kakorna inte ut, men jag kanske har fel?
Kram!
Hej Ellen! Nu har jag inte boken i närheten, men om det inte står att du ska platta till bollarna så ska du inte behöva göra det 🙂 Annars kan du alltid provbaka en kaka först för att se hur den blir efter gräddning. Så brukar jag göra när jag känner mig osäker! Kram och lycka till!
These muffins look divine! I can't wait to try out this recipe, and I'm 100% sure that I'm going to love them. Banana muffins are my favorite, and you can't go wrong with chocolate!
These are very delicious looking muffins.
Linda, these are so beautiful and evocative. As ever. And I am sure that they taste delightful too. What a gorgeous start to the new year – and here's to 2015 being another year full of happiness! Xx PS I really wanted to buy your latest book (in English) but Amazon say that it is currently unavailable…any ideas where I might be able to buy it? Thank you so much! Xx
Okay, so I'm IN LOVE with your photography first of all. (: And these muffins look unbelievable. That frosting sound amazing on a spoon please and the shots of the caramel are killing me. Gaaah. Pinning!
Whoaaaa this is exactly MY kind of dessert!!! I love liquor-flavored cakes, and that frosting is too gorgeous. Too bad it's going to be gobbled up soon, though 😛
Hi Linda,
How did you achieve this icing technique?
I Must try these, they look amazing (as all of your desserts)! thank you for all of this : the photos are wonderful and the desserts. .
I have jus found you blog and it is wonderful… I have looked back at a few of your other recipe's and wondered if you could tell me what the weight measurement is dl ?
Hi Ann! Thanks a lot! DL is not a weight measurement but a volume measurement, have a look in my FAQ: http://call-me-cupcake.blogspot.com.au/p/faq.html#.VQ_FJWbiXXk
Hey, I live in Denmark and it´s not possible to get heavy cream, so I was wondering if it´s possible to use heavy cream or normal whipping cream? Or maybe mix those two?
Btw your blog looks so delicious and what beatiful pictures!!!
This is simple stunning, what lovely shots with a beautiful mood.
Dear Linda,
I have been baking through your recipes and loved them all so far but THIS IS SIMPLY DELICIOUS. It is so soft and fluffy and exactly what I expect chocolate muffins to be. Thank you very much! Also, your pictures are beautiful – it is a perfect combination – good food and good art :-).
This is a late comment, I know, but I made these last night–the muffins, frosting, and sauce–and they’re marvelous together. I will be using this caramel sauce recipe for many desserts. Thank you for helping me look good! And, thank you for providing weight measurements.
Linda, thank you for this – and many others! – absolutely amazing recipes! The muffins turned out great, but when I tried to make frosting – mascarpone curdled. It is now sitting in the fridge looking like cottage cheese … where did I go wrong??
Hi Elina! Thank you for your kind words! Some mascarpone brands tend to curdle, I am not sure why but I am gyessing it has to do with quality. It can also be a case of overwhipping, sometimes you just need to whip for a few seconds, better to stop once it is still a little loose and then fold until you reach a good consistency. But it could also just be the brand of mascarpone!