Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting #3 - AND FINAL!

So, it was my daughter's first birthday on Friday (but the party was on Saturday) and it was a monkey themed party. What better way to add to the fun than adding bananas to the cupcakes for the party?! I've been working on perfecting my recipe and I really do believe the 3rd time was the charm. Changed minor things, but it all turned out absolutely perfectly this time...even thought I thought it did the last time too. But this...this was IT! Enjoy everyone!!



CUPCAKES
makes 20-22 cupcakes (originally it was 22, but I made a triple batch and it ended up only 60)

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 overly ripe bananas peeled
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 egg + 1 yolk
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line cupcake tins with wrappers.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cocoa powder.

3. In another bowl, mash the bananas until smooth. You can leave a few chunks if you'd like, but don't make the chunks of banana big. When the consistency is how you'd like, mix in the sour cream and vanilla.

4. In a third bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then add the egg and yolk and beat until well blended.

5. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture in 3 additions alternating with the banana mixture. Beat each addiction until well blended before adding the next.

6. When all is blended together stir in the chocolate chips until spread throughout batter.

7. Fill cupcake tins 3/4 full with batter (I use a medium sized cookie scoop, it's perfect) and bake for 20-25 minutes. (Set the timer for 20 minutes then check by tapping your finger on top of cupcake. The batter should bounce back immediately when it's done. Don't use a toothpick to test, the chocolate chips melt and make it hard to see if it's done.) Let cool completely on cooling racks before frosting.

ICING

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1 8 oz package cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (use a brand name, not fresh ground, organic or old fashioned)

Directions

1. Sift powdered sugar into a bowl.

2. Beat together the butter, cream cheese and peanut butter until well blended.

3. Add the powdered sugar, a little bit at a time until the icing is smooth, thick and creamy.

FINISHED PRODUCT