Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and Chocolate Ganache
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Intermediate12
servings30
minutes20
minutesThese are a family favorite. I found this recipe 20 years ago in the San Francisco Chronicle and made it as I loved all the flavors. It takes flavors I loved as a kid and makes them into something that can be perfect for kids but even more delicious for adults who love the surprise as they bite into the cupcake and get the combination of banana, chocolate and vanilla frosting. These are delicious and a little tricky but well worth the efforts. I have even tinted the frosting for baby showers or for friends who have a favorite color. These cupcakes are always a hit.
Cupcakes
1 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
6 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup sugar
1 lg egg, room temperature
1/2 cup very ripe and smooshed bananas
- Chocolate Ganache
2 oz semi sweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup
- Frosting
4 oz cream cheese, left out for 30 minutes
1 oz butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Cupcake
- Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 cup standard muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt on to a piece of wax paper and set aside. Add the vanilla to the measured buttermilk and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fit with a paddle attachment, beat butter for 30 seconds. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat until creamy. Stream in the sugar and continue at medium speed until mixture is light and creamy. Scrape the sides down and add the egg. Beat well until fully incorporated.
- Add the flour and the buttermilk alternating in thirds, starting and ending with the flour. Continue to scrape down the sides so all in well blended. Add the whisked/smooshed bananas and blend well. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
- Bake 20-25 minutes. Let sit in pan for 5 minutes then remove cupcakes from pan and allow to cool completely.
- Ganache
- Place the chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Add the cream and corn syrup to a saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium heat. Add the whisked cream/syrup mixture to the bowl of chopped chocolate. Allow to sit for 1 minute before whisking until smooth. Let sit until thick enough to pipe.
- Frosting
- Combine butter, cream cheese, and vanilla in the cleaned bowl of the electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Whip on high speed for 3 minutes until mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down sides and add the sifted powdered sugar slowly and allow to mix well.
- Assembly:
- Fill a pastry bag with the chocolate and fit with a 1/4 inch metal tip. Insert the tip into each cupcake and squeeze about 1 teaspoon into each cupcake. Then cover each top with the vanilla cream cheese frosting.
