I have been craving my favorite spicy hot chocolate, but instead I turned on the oven and made these.

I have been on a late night baking kick. It seems like the perfect time to get into the kitchen and make some magic. Oh who am I kidding, I have no other time to do it. But I still like it!!

And these muffins. I love them. I mean really love them. I wanted spicy and chocolate-like, not to mention I was slightly motivated by the very ripe bananas sitting on my counter. They needed to be made into something or into the freezer they would go.

Now, let's get back to the spicy. Have you had chile and chocolate? You're missing out if you haven't. I used chile powder and cayenne to create the heat and flavor I wanted. The spicy taste lingers and heats up. It's perfect...PERFECT. You could even add a cream cheese frosting if you wanted to be fancy, but it doesn't really need it.   

The muffins are moist and sweet and spicy. They could easily be dessert.

Make these when you can, you will love them!

Spicy Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
Recipe created by Noble Pig | Serves: 23 muffins

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 Tablespoon chile powder
• 1-3/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 4 very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, add flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, chile powder and cayenne. Sift together to combine. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, add sugar, eggs, bananas and buttermilk. Blend until thoroughly combined. Add flour mixture alternating with buttermilk and ending with flour. Mix just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
• Add 1/4 cup batter to each muffin liner and bake for 25 minutes or until done.
• Cool for five minutes in the pan and remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cathy is currently in the development stages of her vineyard and winery in the Willamette Valley of Oregon.  She is a food writer for Davis Life Magazine and blogs daily about wine, food and everyday living.  She lives with her husband and two sons.  You can visit her at noblepig.com.