Butterless Double Chocolate Muffins

I think I’ve said before that I’m not a huge fan of cupcakes. I don’t mind them once a while of course, but petite things and I just don’t go together! I find making a buttercream and decorating every single cupcake in fancy designs too cumbersome and and also way more calorific than you and I probably would ever need. But muffins are a different ball game altogether! And these muffins are divine. Why wouldn’t they be? They have chocolate. And chocolate chips. And best of all, they are good for you. No, really, hear me out. These muffins are made with the goodness of olive oil as opposed to butter, which definitely doesn’t make it as unhealthy. Using butter would give it the kind of..well…buttery-ness…that is so coveted in the world of baking, but who cares? If the same old muffins taste magically good with a much healthier substitute why not go for it?
I made 30 of these for a particular occasion and couldn’t even taste more than a bite. They just flew right in front of my eyes. So you realise how good they are! Wonderful. Now take out your baking kit and start making them. Right now, I say!

Recipe partially adapted from Nigella Lawson’s Feast
Makes 10-12 muffins depending on size
Ingredients

Flour: 300 gm
Baking powder: 2 tsp
Baking soda: 3/4 tsp
Cocoa powder: 6 tbsp
Caster sugar: 225 gm
Chocolate chips: 200 gm
Milk: 100 ml
Olive Oil: 150 gm
Eggs, whisked: 3
Vanilla essence: 2 tsp

Method:

1. In a big bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, sugar, and 3/4 quantity of the chocolate chips.

2. Add oilve oil and mix. Add the whisked eggs and mix till the batter is semi-lumpy. Add the milk, as much as is required to keep the batter thick but smooth.

3. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C and line muffin moulds/butter them. Spoon the batter into the moulds, three-fourths high. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top and bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins risen and springy to touch.

4. Cool on wire rack for another 20 minutes before unmoulding. Wolf away with your morning or evening cuppa!