A Little Piece of Heaven

Banana Cupcakes with Nutella Frosting

As I have mentioned before I absolutely adore anything with bananas and chocolate. My little sister celebrated her prom this weekend and I decided these would be a perfect treat to devour before slipping into a fancy dress. I recently came across these banana cupcakes which are a delicious combination of a banana cake and bread. The moist cupcakes combined with absolutely heavenly Nutella frosting makes it a challenge to eat just one (I may or may not have eaten 4 in one sitting)!

Banana Cupcakes

Ingredients:

·        2¾ cups all-purpose flour

·        1¼ teaspoons baking powder

·        1 teaspoon baking soda

·        ½ teaspoon salt

·        ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

·        ¼ cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature

·        1¾ cups granulated sugar

·        2 teaspoons vanilla extract

·        2 eggs

·        1½ cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 4 bananas)

·        ½ cup buttermilk

To Make the Banana Cupcakes:

1.      Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two 12-cup cupcake pans with paper liners.

2.      Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a large bowl and set aside.

3.      In a medium bowl beat the butter and shortening together with an electric mixer until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, add the eggs, and beat until just combined. Scrape down the bowl again and add the bananas. Beat until just combined. On low speed add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl, then mix on low speed for a few more seconds.

4.      Using a spoon fill the cupcake liners until about three-quarters full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

5.      Let cool for a few minutes before transferring cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes.

Makes about 24 cupcakes

 

 

To Make the Nutella Frosting:

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ sticks butter
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 jar of Nutella
• 5-6 tablespoon milk

Preparation:

1.      In a bowl medium bowl mix the Nutella and butter until creamy, about 3 minutes.

2.      On low speed add the confectioners’ sugar, alternating with the milk and vanilla until combined.

3.      Brace yourself for some heavenly frosting!

4.      Yield: Enough to generously frost 24 cupcakes