Chocolate Banana Cupcakes With Peanut Butter Caramel Buttercream Recipes

BANANA CUPCAKES WITH CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two 12-count muffin pans with 18 cupcake liners. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in a large bowl on medium speed until creamed. About 2-3 minutes. With the mixer running on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla, beating on low speed for about 1 minute.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 additions, stirring by hand after each addition. Add the milk and stir until combined. The batter will be lumpy. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Spoon the batter evenly into 18 cupcake liners. Fill the unused cups one-third full with water to prevent warping. Bake each batch for 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
• Sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder to assure there are no lumps. Set aside. With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy - about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sifted sugar/cocoa powder alternately with the heavy cream and vanilla. Beat on low speed after each addition. Once all added, beat on high speed until creamy and combined for at least 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet.
• With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the peanut butter and butter on medium speed until creamy and completely smooth - about 3 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Mix on medium until combined. Add the cream and mix on high until creamy, at least 2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet.
• Frost cooled cupcakes with a knife or with a piping bag/tip. If you'd like to just make 1 kind of frosting and not both, make sure you double the frosting recipe of your choice to make sure there is enough for all cupcakes. To swirl the two frostings like I did, here is how I made the swirl frosting. There may be leftover frosting depending how much you use on each cupcake. Decorate with banana slices and/or more chocolate chips if desired. Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days and in the refrigerator up to 5.

CHOCOLATE BANANA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake or muffin pan with 24 regular-size cupcake liners.
• Measure all the ingredients accurately. Bring all the ingredients to room temperature. Place the butter in the mixing bowl. With the paddle attachment, beat the butter slowly until it is smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar; cream the mixture at moderate speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time. After each addition, beat until the eggs are incorporated before adding more. After the eggs are fully incorporated, mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, sift the cake flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and nutmeg together. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Then add one-quarter of the sifted dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix just until blended. Mix the milk and banana puree. Add approximately one-third of the liquids. Mix just until blended in. Repeat until all ingredients are incorporated.
• Fill the cupcake liners half full with batter and bake until golden and baked through, about 35 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely.
• To assemble: Cut the center out of each cupcake and fill with the French Banana Buttercream. Dip the top of the cupcake in the Chocolate Ganache. Generously frost the top of each cupcake with the Italian Meringue Buttercream Frosting.
• Combine the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan. Dissolve the sugar. Boil until it reaches 240 degrees F.
• While the syrup is boiling, bet the yolks with an electric mixer with a wire whip until thick and light.
• When the syrup reaches temperature, pour it very slowly into the beaten yolks while whipping constantly. Continue to beat until the mixture is completely cool and the yolks are very thick and light.
• Whip in the butter a little at a time, adding it just as fast as it's absorbed by the mixture.
• Beat in the vanilla and banana puree. If the icing is too soft, refrigerate until it is firm enough to spread.
• Put the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream to a simmer. Once a simmer is reached, pour over the chocolate chips. Using a whisk, whip until smooth and creamy.
• Combine 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Boil to reach 230 degrees F. Leave it alone. Cook over medium heat.
• While the syrup is boiling, using a whip attachment, start beating the egg whites and cream of tartar in a mixing bowl. Once peaks begin to form, add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar to make the peaks stiff.
• When the syrup reaches temperature, slowly pour it into the beaten egg whites while whipping constantly with the mixer on the lowest speed. Beat on high until cool, about 5 minutes.
• Turn down to medium-low speed and add the butter on the sides and scrape. Turn to high and beat until you have a smooth texture. Add the vanilla and chocolate ganache.

BANANA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper baking cups. In a medium mixing bowl stir together, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in bananas. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. On low speed gradually add flour mixture alternating with milk and beat until blended.
• Divide batter evenly between baking cups. Bake until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan for 10 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completley.

CHOCOLATE BANANA CUPCAKES WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
• Combine first three ingredients in a large bowl; mix well. Add banana, stirring well to combine. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cup and level with a knife.
• Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with 1/2 cup milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition.
• Spoon the batter into 24 muffin cups lined with paper liners. Bake for 20 minutes or until cupcakes spring back easily when touched lightly in the center. Allow to cool, and frost if desired.
• To make frosting: Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer.
• Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk one tablespoon at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy.

CHOCOLATE BANANA CUPCAKES WITH PEANUT BUTTER CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Cupcakes: To make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk the mashed banana, heavy cream, sugar, oil and vanilla until well combined. The mixture won't be completely smooth, but mix vigorously to get out as many of the large lumps as possible. In a second medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. (Sift your cocoa into this mixture if it appears clumpy). Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and gently whisk (or fold with a rubber spatula) until flour just disappears. Distribute the batter evenly among the liners, filling each about 1/2 - 2/3 full (an ice cream scoop works great for this). Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the muffin pan to a wire rack. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer them to the wire rack to cool completely. Buttercream: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (I used the paddle because I'm a rebel. Or I don't read the recipe well enough), beat butter and peanut butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about a minute. Add the confectioners' sugar and salt to the bowl and beat at low speed just until the sugar is moistened, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat the mixture on med-high until fully combined. You'll notice it taking on a lighter color and a more uniform texture, this is perfect. Finally, mix in the vanilla and caramel sauce and beat on med-high to incorporate. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again then beat on medium speed until the frosting is light and fluffy. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and garnish with caramel drizzle, melted chocolate or anything your heart desires.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED BANANA CUPCAKES WITH BANANA BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners (for a total of 44 cupcakes).
• For the banana cake batter: In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Add the bananas and buttermilk and beat together well.
• For the dark chocolate cake batter: Put the cocoa in a medium heatproof bowl, pour 2 cups boiling water over it and whisk until smooth. Let the mixture cool.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at time, and then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture.
• Fill the cupcake liners one-third full with the banana cake batter. Add the dark chocolate cake batter on top, filling the liners about two-thirds full. Bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 16 to 19 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
• For the ganache: Melt the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a double boiler, stirring the entire time. (Be careful not to get steam or water into your chocolate mixture, as it will seize.) Stir until completely melted and smooth. Add additional cream as needed a tablespoon at a time.
• For the buttercream: In a large bowl, whip the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, banana bakery emulsion and bananas. Whip until smooth and creamy.
• Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Drizzle with the chocolate ganache using a squeeze bottle or spoon.

BANANA CUPCAKES WITH CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
• Reduce speed to low. Mix mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla in a bowl. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with wet ingredients and ending with dry. Scrape sides of bowl. Stir pecans into batter. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
• Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks. (Unfrosted cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.) Once cupcakes are cool, frost tops with caramel buttercream. Frosted cupcakes will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 days. Top with banana slices before serving.