Sweet Potato Muffins with Orange, Figs & Dark Chocolate

Serves makes 12 muffins

Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

1 cup mashed roasted sweet potato (about 1 medium sweet potato)

2 large eggs

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

⅓ cup honey or maple syrup

⅓ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

1 ½ cups wholemeal flour 

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp salt

Add-Ins

Zest of 1 orange

½ cup chopped dried figs

½ cup dark chocolate chips (70% or higher)

¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans 

Method

Preheat your oven to 180°C and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease lightly with extra virgin olive oil.

Roast a medium sweet potato at 200°C until tender (about 40-50 minutes). Let it cool, scoop the flesh out and then mash until smooth.

In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed sweet potato, eggs, extra virgin olive oil, honey (or maple syrup), orange juice, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Fold in the orange zest, chopped figs, dark chocolate chunks, and nuts.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.

Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.