What's Up Cupcake?: Sweet Treats Saturday: Chocolate Ricotta Muffins

When we went camping a few weeks ago, I wanted to bring a dessert that could be easily packed away and would keep without refrigeration while we paraded around in the wilderness. For some reason, the idea of combining chocolate and ricotta sounded perfect, so I did some hunting until I came across this recipe.

The bursts of chocolate chunks within the muffins was awesome! The cupcakes can get dense, so make sure not to over-mix them. These muffins would be perfect for brunches or to pack as a treat in a lunch box. I didn't try it, but you could probably freeze them as well and let them defrost the night before for a delicious, make-ahead treat.

Chocolate Ricotta Muffins
Recipe from Joy of Baking

Ingredients:
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cup milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 16 muffin pans with liners or coat with non-stick spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk the ricotta cheese and then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the milk, vanilla extract, and cooled and melted butter, mixing well. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Add the ricotta mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until just combined, then fold in the chocolate chips. Do not over-mix the batter or the muffins will be tough when baked.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full.

Place in the oven and bake for approx. 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool.