Double Chocolate Buns

Are these muffins?  Nope.  Cupcakes?  Nope.  These are in fact what the British refer to as a chocolate "buns".  They are a cross between a cupcake and a muffin. They have a somewhat cake-like consistency, though not nearly as sweet yet are definitely richer than a muffin.  They are also frosting-free.  These are wonderful eaten plain and without any fuss needed at all.

They are named Double Chocolate Buns because of 2 types of chocolate in the batter:  Dark Cocoa Powder and White Chocolate Chips (the latter not really being a chocolate at all).

You can make these all in one bowl and you don't even need your mixer as long as you have some decent upper body strength to blend the butter and sugar.  Everything else gets folded in and blended just until combined then baked up for 20 minutes.

These rise up beautifully and your house will be infused with the smell of chocolate. They are tender, moist and hard to resist.  My daughter inhaled 2 while they were still warm.

The key to this recipe is , as always, top quality ingredients.   Use dark cocoa powder (unsweetened) and best quality white chocolate.  You can use either chopped white chocolate or chips. I had Ghiradelli chips on hand and that is pretty much at the top of the "superb" white chocolate if you ask me.

The chips will hold their shape during the baking process so you end up with a deep, dark brown muffin studded with bits of heavenly sweet white chocolate.

These will store for several days in a sealed container. I just keep them nestled nicely under the lid of my cake serving platter.  To reheat, 15 seconds on HIGH in the microwave is all you need.

Make up a batch on a Sunday night and enjoy throughout the week!

RECIPE:

*adapted source recipe  -  Double Chocolate Buns,  The Great Book British Bake Off

WHAT YOU NEED

250 grams all purpose flour
50 grams dark cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
125 grams unsalted butter at room temperature
125 grams sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs at room temperature
250 ml sour cream (or plain greek yogurt) at room temperature
100 grams good quality chopped white chocolate or chocolate chips

MAKE IT

LINE a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners
PREHEAT oven to 200F

IN LARGE BOWL, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside
IN SEPARATE LARGE BOWL, beat butter with a wooden spoon until creamy
ADD in sugar and beat til it turns pale and fluffy

IN SEPARATE SMALL BOWL, whisk together eggs and vanilla
SLOWLY add egg mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, to butter/sugar mixture stirring well after each addition
FOLD in flour mixture in 3 batches alternating with sour cream
FOLD in white chocolate
WITH ICE CREAM SCOOP, divide batter amongst paper cases
BAKE 20 minutes or until tops spring back when touched
REMOVE from oven and let cool in pan 5 minutes
TRANSFER muffins to cooling rack

ENJOY!