AuthorHeather WallaceCategorycupcakes & muffinsDifficultyIntermediateWho doesn't love the combination of banana and peanut butter?
For my nephew's graduation open house I decided to make a variety of cupcakes for him. One of the inspirations I had was to make a cupcake that tasted like moist banana bread and pair it with my Tiger Butter Frosting that is a Swiss meringue buttercream flavored with white chocolate and peanut butter. It was divine...it had the perfect balance of flavors! I attempted to test dipping it in chocolate as well but decided it was too sweet and the original recipe was perfect.
Needless to say, the cupcakes were a hit at the open house...actually everyone was eating the cupcakes instead of the cake. I even seen a few people go back up for a second and third cupcake...lol. So I guess you could call them a success.
I work 10 hour days at my job so making cupcakes for an event like this I had to prepare ahead of time. I researched a bit and tested freezing cupcakes to see how they would hold up and see if they would stay moist after a few weeks. I found this technique worked well and I was able to make cupcakes a couple weeks in advance on my days off and they tasted exactly the same and were still super moist.
After cupcakes have cooled completely wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place in ziplock bags or in an airtight container, place in freezer. To unthaw, remove from freezer and unwrap...place on a cooling wrap for a few hours till cupcakes come to room temperature before frosting. I also made my buttercream a day ahead and placed in the fridge. The frosting also has to come to room temp before you can pipe it. Frosting takes only around an hour to warm up enough to re-whip in the blender once more before piping. Then you are all set to decorate your cupcakes after that. Easy prep so you don't have to stress the night before baking or the day of an event.
I took some inspiration for the banana cupcake recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction and tweaked it by adding some chopped walnuts and pairing it with my frosting recipe. Normally I like to adjust recipes more to my liking but she did such a good job that I kept it pretty much true to her recipe- Bravo Sally! She has a wonderful blog and some amazing recipes, if you haven't visited her site you should check it out.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Spray cupcake pan with cooking spray.
In a stand mixer beat the 1/2 cup of unsalted room temperature butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup of brown sugar on medium speed with a paddle attachment; about 2-3 minutes until creamed.
With the mixer on low add 3 large room temperature eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 1 1/2 cups of mashed ripe bananas, beat on low for 1 minute.
In a separate bowl sift together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Pour in 1/2 cup of buttermilk and continue whisking until combined but lumpy.
Fold in 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts.
Fill each greased cupcake mold with about 2/3 full.
Bake for about 17-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.
In a large metal mixing bowl combine 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 3 large room temperature egg whites, place over simmering water.
Whisk constantly until the sugar melts and the mixture is very thin and warm about 10 minutes.
Remove bowl from heat and transfer to an electric mixer bowl and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form about 5 minutes.
Reduce speed to low and continue to beat until cool, about 15 more minutes.
Meanwhile, place 2 ounces of white chocolate in a bowl over simmering water and stir occasionally until melted, remove from heat and stir in 4 tablespoons of natural peanut butter. Set aside to cool.
Beat 2 sticks of soft but cool butter cut into small pieces into egg whites on low speed. The mixture may curdle before coming together.
Gradually beat in the melted and cooled white chocolate and peanut butter.
Re-beat occasionally to maintain a smooth texture.
Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
You can make cupcakes ahead of time and freeze individually in plastic wrap, and store in airtight container in freezer. Unwrap and let come to room temp before frosting.
Buttercream can be made a day ahead, let come to room temp and rewhip before piping onto cupcakes.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Spray cupcake pan with cooking spray.
In a stand mixer beat the 1/2 cup of unsalted room temperature butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup of brown sugar on medium speed with a paddle attachment; about 2-3 minutes until creamed.
With the mixer on low add 3 large room temperature eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 1 1/2 cups of mashed ripe bananas, beat on low for 1 minute.
In a separate bowl sift together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Pour in 1/2 cup of buttermilk and continue whisking until combined but lumpy.
Fold in 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts.
Fill each greased cupcake mold with about 2/3 full.
Bake for about 17-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
Let cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.
In a large metal mixing bowl combine 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 3 large room temperature egg whites, place over simmering water.
Whisk constantly until the sugar melts and the mixture is very thin and warm about 10 minutes.
Remove bowl from heat and transfer to an electric mixer bowl and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form about 5 minutes.
Reduce speed to low and continue to beat until cool, about 15 more minutes.
Meanwhile, place 2 ounces of white chocolate in a bowl over simmering water and stir occasionally until melted, remove from heat and stir in 4 tablespoons of natural peanut butter. Set aside to cool.
Beat 2 sticks of soft but cool butter cut into small pieces into egg whites on low speed. The mixture may curdle before coming together.
Gradually beat in the melted and cooled white chocolate and peanut butter.
Re-beat occasionally to maintain a smooth texture.
Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
You can make cupcakes ahead of time and freeze individually in plastic wrap, and store in airtight container in freezer. Unwrap and let come to room temp before frosting.
Buttercream can be made a day ahead, let come to room temp and rewhip before piping onto cupcakes.