Chocolate-centred Oaty Banana Cupcakes

I have to say these are probably one of my favourite, and tastiest healthy bakes thus far- my family who are some of the most skeptical people when it comes to 'healthy treats' will vouch for this too! Then again... Who wouldn't love a cupcake with a chocolately surprise in the middle?! 

A little family ritual that's developed over the past few years is sitting down together every Sunday afternoon with a cup of tea, and some tasty snacks or treats. So these little cupcakes were perfect for just that. 

The beauty of these sweet treats were not only were they naturally sweet and made using completely unrefined and unprocessed all natural ingredients, one or two was enough to leave you satisfied and keep you going for the next couple hours thanks to the healthy fats and complex carbohydrates used! They can also be made gluten-free for those with intolerances by simply subbing a couple of the gluten-containing ingredients for gluten-free ones. No guilt, no bloat - Win win!

So to summarise - A beautifully moist, oaty banana base with a deliciously creamy, nutty, chocolately centre, PLUS a healthy lasting energy-kick to go along with it... Erm- Yes please!

Makes 12 cupcakes:

Ingredients for the Oaty Banana base:

1 large free range egg

150g oats - use gluten-free if intolerant

100 ml unsweetened almond milk

1 large banana

1 tbsp (16g) honey

1 tbsp (16g) melted coconut oil

1 tsp baking powder - gluten-free if intolerant

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Ingredients for the Creamy Chocolate centre:

100g almond flour (almonds ground to a flour

1.5 tbsp Creative Nature's Oragnic Cacao Powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder)

1/2 large banana (slice remainder of banana to decorate the muffins)

50ml unsweetened almond milk

1/2 tbsp melted coconut oil

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (200 if not using a fan oven)

2. Start with the banana base- Whisk the egg with the unsweetened almond milk

3. Add, and mash in the banana, melted coconut oil, and honey

4. In a separate bowl, combine the 150g oats with the baking powder and cinnamon (make sure there are no clumps of baking powder!)

5. Thoroughly combine the two mixtures together and set aside whilst you prepare your chocolate centre filling

6. Mash the banana with the unsweetened almond milk and coconut oil

7. In a separate bowl, mix together the almond flour and cocoa powder

8. Thoroughly combine the mashed banana mixture (NOT the banana base mixture you previously made!) with the cocoa/almond flour mixture 

9. Line a cupcake tray with small cupcake cases and fill them with the banana base mixture up to 2/3 of the way

10. Pour the cocoa almond mixture into a  piping bag and place the nozzle deep into the centre of each cake and squeeze enough of the mixture whilst pulling the nozzle out, so that the cupcakes rises slightly and the chocolate fills to the top. If you do not own a piping bag & nozzle, simply make a well in the middle of each cupcake with a small spoon, and spoon the chocolate mixture in.

11. Place a banana slice in the middle of each cupcake then place in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the banana starts to caramelise and turn golden brown on top 

12. Place onto a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes before tucking in.. If you can wait that long that is! ;)