Banana cupcakes with vanilla cream cheese frosting

I love this recipe! It can be made into a 3 layer cake or a whole batch of cupcakes. The key to the best and most intense banana flavor is allowing them to ripen until they are really brown. It brings out the sugar and caramel note and that’s when they become the perfect baking ingredient. The rich cream cheese frosting is the perfect accompaniment for this cake. You may not be able to eat just one!

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Banana cupcakes with vanilla cream cheese frosting

Makes: one 3 layer cake or 26 cupcakes Prep time: 30 minutes Bake time: 22 - 26 minutes

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 cups whole milk at room temperature

3/4 cupΒ unsalted butter at room temp

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs at room temperature

2 teaspoons best quality vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3 cups all purpose flour

3 medium ripe bananas mashed, approximately 1 and 1/2 cups

 

Frosting

8 ounces full fat cream cheese at room temp

1 cup unsalted butter at room temp

6 cups confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanila

1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream

pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F

If making a cake, butter and flour 3 – 8″ cake pans and line with parchment. If making cupcakes, line muffin tins with cupcake liners

In a medium bowl with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars on medium speed for 2 minutes

Add in eggs, vanilla, salt and baking soda and mix until smooth. Make sure to scrape the sides down as you go

With your mixer on low, alternate adding flour and milk. Beginning and ending with flour. Do not over mix the batter as it will make the cake rubbery and tough.

Mix in the bananas until just incorporated

Divide the batter evenly among the 3 prepared pans. If making cupcakes, use an ice cream scooper to fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full

If making a cake, bake approximately 35 minutes, or until the middle of the cake springs back and is a golden brown

For cupcakes, bake approximately 23-26 minutes, depending on your oven

Cool completely and refrigerate before frosting

To make the frosting, place cream cheese and butter in your mixing bowl with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until smooth. Add vanilla and cream. Slowly add confectioners sugar one cup at a time until you achieve the desired consistency. The frosting should be thick and be able to hold up well to frosting the cake or cupcakes. Frost the cake or cupcakes when the layers or cupcakes are completely cool.

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