Fairtrade Big Fair Bake Challenge: Banana and Chocolate Mini-Muffins #bakeitfair

Tots100 is challenging their members to inspire the nation and cook for someone else with a Big Fair Bake as part of a year-long Take a Step campaign, which aims to get the UK to take a total of 1.5 million steps for Fairtrade in 2012, a step for every farmer and worker in the Fairtrade system we aim to work with.

As part of the campaign, we are asked to develop a baking creation inspired by one (or more!) of the following Fairtrade certified ingredients: Honey, Chocolate (or Cocoa Powder), Raisins, Coffee, Bananas, Cinnamon, Apricots, Ginger and Brazil Nuts.

You can find out where to buy it, and the other ingredients listed here.

I decided to take part in the Big Fair Bake as, not only I love baking, but also because baking with Fairtrade ingredients is one easy way for everyone to make a difference to the whole farming communities in developing countries. Next time you are out shopping, you could look out for Faitrade products.

My creation is a Banana and Chocolate Mini-Muffins using Faitrade Banana, Fairtrade Chocolate and Fairtrade Cinnamon which I baked for my cousin that just gave birth to a gorgeous baby boy.

I haven’t met the new addition to the family yet, so I shall visit her on Saturday and take the mini-muffins with me.

I don’t usually measure any ingredients when baking, however this time I measured so you can try it if you wish.

Banana and Chocolate Mini-Muffins (serves 15)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups of self-raising flour
• 0.5 cup of sugar
• 0.5 cup of brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon of Fairtrade Cinnamon
• 3 Fairtrade Bananas
• 0.25 cup of sunflower oil
• 100g of Faitrade Fruit and Nut Dark Chocolate

Pre-heat the oven at 180C.

Mash the bananas and add the cinnamon to the mixture, reserve.

Mix the flour, sugar, brown sugar and baking powder, followed by the eggs and sunflower oil. Add the banana and cinnamon paste to the mixture.

Break most of the chocolate bar in small pieces, but reserve a few squares to melt and drizzle once the mini-muffins are ready.

Add the chocolate pieces in the mixture.

Spoon the cake mixture into muffin cases and then bake for around 15 minutes (or as long as it takes to get brown and rise).

Once the mini-muffins are out of the oven, melt the remaining squares of chocolate and drizzle on top of the mini-muffins.

If you prefer, you can use the whole bar in the cake mixture , I just like to drizzle the chocolate on top to add a bit of colour.

The banana and chocolate mini-muffins are best served warm straight out of the oven.

In case there are any left, you can store them in an air-tight container. Enjoy!

This is my entry for the Fairtrade Big Fair Bake Challenge.