Double Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
These chocolate cupcakes are bursting with flavor!
Prep Time: 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time: 18 minutesminutes
Total: 38 minutesminutes
Servings: 16to 18 cupcakes.
Ingredients
Double Chocolate Banana Cupcakes
4ouncesunsalted butter, at room temperature(1 stick, 1/2 cup)
3/4cuppacked brown sugar (light or dark)
1egg
3/4cupmashed, ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
1/4cupsour cream
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1cupall purpose flour
1/2cupcocoa powder (I used dutch-processed, but natural should work in a pinch)
1 1/2teaspoonsbaking powder
1/2teaspoonbaking soda
1/2teaspoonsalt
1cupchopped bittersweet chocolate
Vanilla-Flecked Cream Cheese Frosting (Makes about 1 1/2 cups)
8ouncescream cheese, at room temperature
4ouncesunsalted butter, at room temperature(1 stick, 1/2 cup)
1/2vanilla bean, split and scraped(or sub 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract)
1/2cuppowdered sugar, sifted
big pinch salt
Instructions
Double Chocolate Banana Cupcakes
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ยบ. Line 18 standard muffin tins with papers.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (or by hand) cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes on medium. Add the egg and mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. (The mixture may look broken. That's ok.)
Meanwhile, combine the banana, sour cream and vanilla in a separate bowl or measuring cup. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl.
With the mixer on low, add the dries in three additions alternating with the wets, beginning and ending with the dries, mixing until just combined after each addition. Stir in the chocolate chunks. Give the batter a final fold with a rubber spatula to make sure it's all homogenous.
Divide the batter among the lined cups. (I like to use a spring loaded ice cream scoop, the one with the red handle.) The batter should mound just to the top of the mold.
(Alternately, you can bake this in a 9" round cake pan; adjust the baking time accordingly. Double the frosting for a frosted layer cake.)
Bake the cakes about 15-18 minutes, until the tops spring back when touched. Let cool completely. Top with cream cheese frosting, below, a sprinkle of cocoa and a chunk of chocolate. Or pipe the frosting into the center of the cakes for a more portable option, and stop up the hole with a piece of chocolate.
Store the cakes in the fridge if holding for more than a few hours, but serve at room temperature for the best flavor and texture.
Vanilla-Flecked Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle until smooth. Add the vanilla seeds, sugar, and salt, and beat until fluffy and light, 2-3 minutes.
Notes
Adapted from Not Without Salt.Nutritional values are based on one of 16 cupcakes.