Banana Cupcakes

My sweet mother-in-law always brings me lots of fruit whenever I host a dinner for the family, and she did not disappoint on our Easter gathering.  She showed up with bunches of beautiful fruit! I don't know what I was thinking when I bought a big bunch of bananas the day of our gathering - clearly I wasn't thinking!  I guess the mind goes first...  As you can imagine we had a houseful of bananas this Easter, and I'm not just talking about the fruit!  (just joking Myers' family - heehee)

Now, the way we go through bananas in this house you'd think I'm living with monkeys! (hmmm...that could explain a lot of things)  Anyhoo, having all those bananas wouldn't normally be a problem.  That particular week, however, we had plans to go out of town, and being the conservative that I am I did not want those bananas to go to waste.  I just knew I could find something yummy to create with them...... later, so I popped them in the freezer - peel and all!  

Today I dragged those bananas out and made the most delicious cupcakes!  I don't know if this is a fact, but somehow the bananas seem to have more flavor for baking after they've been in the freezer - maybe it's just my imagination, but it works for me!

Banana Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix

1/2 cup flour

3 ripe bananas

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

3 eggs

1/3 cup oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with cupcake liners (24)

In a large bowl whisk eggs, oil, buttermilk, sour cream, and vanilla. Mash bananas and add to the egg mixture - stir to combine. Add cake mix and flour to the wet ingredients and stir just enough to combine. Fill liners about 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 minutes until the tops bounce back when lightly pressed. Remove from oven and let cool in pan about 10 mins - then remove from pans and cool on baking rack.

Icing

6 oz Cream Cheese, softened (don't use the light or fat free - go all out - it is icing afterall)

1/2 cup butter, softened 

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2-3 cups powdered sugar

Beat butter and cream cheese until well combined - about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla, and then slowly add the sugar 1/2 cup at a time until desired consistency and taste.  If it gets too thick you can thin the icing by adding a little bit of milk until you reach a good consistency.

When the cupcakes are cooled, pipe the icing onto the cupcakes and decorate as you please.  Enjoy!

As you can see in the picture I also made some donut muffins (aka CrackCakes as they are known in my house)!  These little muffins don't last long around here - they really are addictive!

This recipe adapted from Easy Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache - be sure to browse yourcupofcake.com  for the most wonderful cupcake recipes of all flavors!