We dedicate this plantain muffin recipe to all banana muffins lovers out there! It's a fun and tasty spin that uses ripe plantains, a staple ingredient in Caribbean islands.
And we made it vegan and sugar-free to give you a healthier treat. Let us show you how to do it!
We made these muffins without eggs, butter, milk, and white sugar.
Instead, we used ripe plantains instead of eggs for binding and structure, maple syrup for sweetness instead of sugar, and a little vegetable oil instead of butter. Plus cinnamon and chocolate chips for extra yum.
Compared to classic banana muffins, these made with plantain have a more subtle banana flour, making the other ingredients shine.
Cinnamon adds spicy notes, while dark chocolate gives a bittersweet, indulgent finish. We absolutely loved it!
Using plantains not only balances the final flavour of these muffins but also helps give the eggless batter structure.
Plantains, also known as cooking bananas or green bananas, are tropical fruits rich in starches. Starches are great for binding the ingredients and giving support, making an excellent vegan egg replacement.
Green plantains have the highest amount of starches, which get gradually broken down into simple sugars as the fruit ripens.
That's why over-ripe plantains taste much sweeter, perfect for baking.
Yet, ripe plantains are still relatively high in starches, more than ripe bananas, about three times more. So, a muffin batter made with plantains will hold much better than one made with bananas.
We were so impressed with the results that we decided to make banana bread with plantains and waffles with plantains too!
So, head to your local Caribbean food store, grab a few ripe plantains and give this plantain muffins recipe a go. We're sure you'll love it!
Ingredients
Self-Raising Flour | 170 g |
Baking Soda | 1/2 tsp |
Cinnamon | 1 tsp |
Ripe Plantains | 260 g |
Lemon Juice | 1 tbsp |
Maple Syrup | 70 mL |
Vegetable Oil (e.v.o. oil or rapeseed oil) | 50 mL |
Dark Chocolate 85% | 50 g |
Step 1
Mix self-raising flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a bowl (1).
Then, blend the plantain with lemon juice and add it to the bowl, followed by maple syrup and oil (2).
Step 2
Work the ingredients with an electric mixer or a spoon until they come together into a smooth batter.
Then, incorporate half of the dark chocolate chips.
Step 3
Grease a muffin tin with oil or line it with paper muffin cases.
Divide the plantain batter among the cups filling them almost to the top.
Then, sprinkle the muffins with the remaining chocolate chips.
Step 4
Bake the muffins at 180°C (355°F) for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of each muffin comes out clean.
Finally, transfer them onto a wire rack to cool down completely.
You can enjoy your delicious choc chip plantain muffins with our turmeric hot chocolate or beetroot latte.
Tips
For a boost fibre, try swapping plain flour with wholemeal flour or oat flour.