These double chocolate banana muffins boast a hint of spicy heat, a gooey ganache icing and naturally sweet mashed bananas. The densely rich and delicious texture is what you’d anticipate from your favorite chocolate pound cake.
It’s optional whether or not to include the icing and flecks of finishing salt, but I promise it’s worth the extra effort.
I proudly dub these as the ULTIMATE chocolate banana muffins. I first shared this recipe in 2012 and over the years I’ve been perfecting each layer of this banana muffin for maximum flavor. I’ve decided to resurface it from the archives, with updated photos and clearer instructions—because everyone deserves to enjoy this muffin recipe.
What’s really special about these banana muffins made with cocoa is the addition of chile powder and cayenne pepper. The chili powder contributes a warm, earthy flavor, while cayenne adds a more of kick. Don’t worry, these are not spicy in the way you imagine, the addition adds depth and complexity, making the chocolate muffins more interesting and satisfying in the best way possible.
Reader June says: …”these were so flavorful in every way. The spice adds the best aftertaste, something you don’t really get to experience with an ordinary muffin. I loved the density of the batter too, making it more muffin than cupcake like.
Here’s Why You’ll Love These Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
- A great way to use up those ripe bananas sitting on the counter.
- They have a completely different flavor and texture compared to chocolate cake mix muffins.
- Quick and easy to make, just like banana chocolate chip muffins and chocolate chip banana bread.
- The addition of spices complement the chocolate in a unique way.
- Can be served for breakfast or dessert.
Reader Sinth D says …”these banana chocolate muffins tasted amazing. I really appreciated the more hearty, dense batter and all the extra layers of chocolate. Adding heat spices to chocolate was something I never considered doing, but now I think it’s a must for me.”
Ingredients You Need and Why:
- All-purpose flour: This is the base of the muffin, which gives it structure and texture.
- Cocoa powder: Cocoa powder takes place of some of the flour in the recipe, while intensifying the chocolate taste.
- Baking powder, salt and vanilla extract: Acts as flavor essentials and a leavening agent.
- Eggs: Eggs act as binder in baking recipes.
- Bananas: Adds natural sweetness and moisture, just like in these peanut butter banana muffins.
- Chile powder and cayenne: Adds a depth and complexity to the muffins that enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness to the chocolate muffins.
- Buttermilk: Contributes to the muffins’ tenderness, while also reacting with the leavening agent, like these chocolate chip muffins with buttermilk.
- Chocolate chips and chocolate chunks: Adds pockets of chocolate throughout the muffins, adds texture to the top and helps make the ganache.
- Heavy cream: Contributes to the smooth texture of the ganache icing.
- Instant Espresso Granules: Adds complexity to the ganache icing.
- Maldon Sea Salt Flakes: While totally optional, sea salt flakes amplify the intensity of the chocolate and are the perfect contrast.
Why do I need to sift the dry ingredients? Sifting the dry ingredients helps remove lumps, aerates the mixture for a lighter texture, makes for even distribution of leavening agents, and helps with the uniform blending of ingredients. Don’t skip this part, I find this is especially helpful in recipes with cocoa as it tends to stick together.
How to Make Banana Chocolate Muffins
Chocolate banana muffins are easy to make along with ganache icing. The full printable recipe can be found at the end of this post as this is just an overview.
- Prepare a few things first. Preheat the oven to the proper temperature. Add paper liners to muffin tins. I prefer to use parchment liners, but if you use standard paper liners, make sure to spray them with cooking spray.
- The process is really easy. In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, chili powder, and cayenne by sifting. Set aside.
- Standard practice for muffin making. In a stand mixer bowl, combine sugar, eggs, and bananas until thoroughly blended; alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk, ending with flour, mixing only until combined, then fold in chocolate chips.
- This helps muffins finish cooking at the same time. Place 1/4 cup of batter into each muffin liner and I like to add extra (8 per muffin) chocolate chunks or chips on top of the batter. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until done.
- So your icing won’t melt off. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for five minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Making ganache is simpler than you thought. In a small saucepan over low heat, bring heavy cream to a simmer (do not boil). Cream needs to be hot enough to melt the chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate chips. Add chocolate chips to a heat safe bowl and pour hot cream over the chocolate chips and allow them to sit for one minute. Add instant espresso and cayenne; stir until smooth.
- Icing the chocolate banana muffins. Remove cupcake liners and dip the tops of each muffin into the icing, coating the top completely. Sprinkle the top with Maldon sea salt.
Do I need to add the extra chocolate chunks? Adding extra chocolate is completely optional, but it’s another layer of flavor and texture for these muffins. I add bittersweet chocolate chunks, while semi-sweet chocolate chips are added to the batter. You could also replace them with nuts.
Recipe Tips
- Sifting the dry ingredients in this recipe is so important, especially when cocoa powder is involved. Sifting also helps distribute the baking powder evenly.
- I prefer using a stand mixer over a hand mixer when it comes to baking from scratch. It cuts down on mixing time, which helps keeps your baked goods tender.
- Make sure bananas are ripe for added sweetness.
- Bananas vary in size which could affect how many muffins you end up with, as well as how closely you fill each muffin cup.
Can I Make These Chocolate Banana Muffins Ahead of Time?
Yes! Make these banana muffins with chocolate ahead of time, they taste better every day.
These muffins taste better every single day. In fact they are a great muffin to make-ahead of time and can sit on the counter 4-5 days without the ganache. Once you have added ganache the muffins can stay on the counter for up to two days, without needing to be refrigerated. Feel free to make them ahead and make ganache when you are ready to serve.
Can I Freeze Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins?
Yes. The chocolatey banana muffins freeze well. If you freeze before adding ganache, they will be great for up to three months.
If you ice your muffins and want to freeze them, ganache is good in the freezer for about a month before it starts to crackle. The taste doesn’t change, but the overall presentation does. Thaw muffins in the refrigerator overnight.
More Muffin Recipes
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Chocolate Banana Muffins
Equipment
- parchment liners or cupcake liners
- Stand Mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
Muffins:
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup (64 g) unsweetened cocoa
- 1-1/2 tsps. (7 g) baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. (3 g) table salt
- 1 tbsp. chile powder
- 1-3/4 tsps. cayenne pepper
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 4 medium ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup (118 ml) buttermilk
- 1 cup (180 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- bittersweet chocolate chunks or dark chocolate chips (I add eight to the top of each muffin before baking.) 60%
- Maldon sea salt optional
Icing:
- 1/2 cup (118 ml) heavy cream
- 8 oz. (227 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp. instant espresso powder
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Instructions
Muffins:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare muffin tins with liners.
- In a large bowl, add flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, chile powder and cayenne. Sift together to combine. Set aside.3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup (64 g) unsweetened cocoa, 1-1/2 tsps. (7 g) baking powder, 1/2 tsp. (3 g) table salt, 1 tbsp. chile powder, 1-3/4 tsps. cayenne pepper
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add sugar, eggs and bananas. Blend until thoroughly combined. Add flour mixture alternating with buttermilk and ending with flour. Mix just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 4 medium ripe bananas, 1/2 cup (118 ml) buttermilk, 1 cup (180 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Add 1/4 cup batter to each muffin liner and top each muffin with bittersweet chocolate chunks (8 to each muffin) and bake for 25 minutes or until done.bittersweet chocolate chunks
- Cool for five minutes in the pan and remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Icing:
- In a small saucepan over low heat, bring heavy cream to a simmer (do not boil). (Cream needs to be warm enough to melt the chocolate.)1/2 cup (118 ml) heavy cream
- Add chocolate chips to a heat safe bowl and pour hot cream over the chocolate chips and allow them to sit for one minute. Add instant espresso and cayenne; stir until smooth.8 oz. (227 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1/2 tsp. instant espresso powder, 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- Remove cupcake liners and dip the tops of each muffin into the icing, coating the top completely. Sprinkle the tops with Maldon sea salt while icing is still wet.Maldon sea salt
Notes
Nutrition
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