Apples and Bananas (and Chocolate Chips, Oh My!)

Every banana bread recipe I have ever seen demands three or four bananas.  You know what I didn't have when I decided to make banana bread?  Three or four bananas.

But the two bananas that were turning brown in the fruit basket on top of our fridge desperately needed to be put to use, so I got a little creative.  I remembered that I had a few cups of apple sauce in the pantry left over after from when I made gluten-free vegan blueberry muffins for my colleagues; the texture of a smooshed up over-ripe banana isn't too different from the texture of apple sauce, so I thought a substitution was worth a try!  And, just to distract in case the experiment didn't work, I also threw a bag of chocolate chips into the batter and sprinkled cinnamon sugar on the tops of the muffins before sliding the pan into the oven.

Dear readers, I am delighted to report that I have a new favorite banana bread recipe.

Chocolate Chip Banana Apple Muffins (With Cinnamon Sugar)
From Mark Bittman

8 tbs (1 stick) butter
2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 c sugar
2 eggs
2 very ripe bananas, mashed with a fork until smooth
1/2 c apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c chocolate chips
6 tsp cinnamon sugar

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with paper cupcake wrappers

Mix together the dry ingredients.  With a whisk, cream the butter and beat in the eggs, bananas, and apple sauce. Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients; stir just enough to combine. Gently stir in the vanilla and chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the muffin cups and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar, about 1/2 tsp per muffin. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until nicely browned. A toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin will come out fairly clean when it is done, but because of the bananas this bread will remain moister than most. Do not overcook. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.