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Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Bleh days.

I know you have these kind of days. Days where you feel like you don’t want to talk to moms at drop-off because you didn’t brush your teeth and there are crumbs from the morning’s pancakes on your shirt. Days when you don’t care that your son didn’t cut out “one” picture to put under the word “one” and got red admonishments all over his assignment. We all needed a translator for that assignment.

Days when you don’t want to check your email, walk the dogs, decide what to make for dinner. Fold laundry.

Bleh! That is pretty much every day.

Then there are days replete with sweet smelling flowers and colorful sprinkles. Days you don’t care if your kids are arguing senselessly over a green cup. Days you aren’t even remotely flustered by them fighting over who won the staring contest. Days you just know you are blessed.

You dream of what fatty and buttery recipe you will create to make every thing a little better. These cupcakes will make you smile. Smile. Look at them! You can’t take your eyes off of them. They are just good. Cupcakes have that effect.

Of course these cupcakes are good. They should be with a whole stick of butter and a half a cup of sour cream in them. The bananas have to be perfectly ripe. Not ripe where they are baby food consistency. That is just gross. Toss those bananas away. You could maybe even eat them without the peanut butter frosting. Not the best choice. But still good.

Ingredients


1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
2 very ripe large bananas, peeled
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 t vanilla
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk


Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 12 standard (1/3-cup) muffin cups with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Mash bananas with fork in another medium bowl until smooth. Mix sour cream and vanilla into bananas.Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and egg yolk and beat until well blended. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with banana-sour cream mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating just until blended after each addition. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups (generous 1/4 cup for each).Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center of each comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to rack and let cool completely.


Peanut Butter Frosting


1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (I think I added a couple extra Tablespoons)
1  8 oz. package cream cheese, room temp
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (not natural)
chopped, salted roasted peanuts


Sift powdered sugar into large bowl. Add cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until smooth. Spread frosting over top of cupcakes, dividing equally. Sprinkle lightly with chopped peanuts.

A man waiting for a bus on Miami Beach. A cupcake would have made him smile. September 2010.

Sunset on Miami Beach, September 2010. Sunsets make me smile

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. Evan B says

    October 15, 2010 at 8:24 pm

    I totally know what you mean about those days! Now, I don't have kids but I work with soldiers so its pretty much the same thing 🙂 ha PB and Banana is my fave combo.. these look delicious!

    Reply

  8. Jennifer says

    October 16, 2010 at 12:31 am

    I totally know those days you're talking about when you don't even want to get out of your pj's. These cupcakes sound like the perfect compliment, whether it's a good day or a blech day.

    Reply

  10. Monet says

    October 16, 2010 at 5:25 am

    Sunsets and cupcakes make me smile too…and God knows I need lots of smiles right now. Thank you for sharing such a scrumptious treat with us. Peanut butter and bananas should always go hand-in-hand. Thank you also for the kind words on my blog…your thoughts are so appreciated!

    Reply

  12. Couscous & Consciousness says

    October 17, 2010 at 11:46 am

    OMG – these look unbelievably good. Peanut butter and banana is one of my favourite toppings on toast, so these are bound to be a winner.

    What a beautiful blog – I am in awe of your baking! Thanks for visiting my blog, hope you'll come by again.

    Sue 🙂

    Reply

  13. Chef Dennis says

    October 17, 2010 at 12:33 pm

    Hey Duchess
    two of my favorite things in this post, cupcakes and beautiful sunsets! Banana's and peanut butter another match made in heaven…..now if you can figure out how to push one thru the computer screen, I will be eternally grateful!
    Dennis

    Reply

  21. Susi says

    October 18, 2010 at 4:12 pm

    Love the look and sound of these incredible looking cupcakes. The frosting sounds good enough to eat with a spoon, which could be VERY dangerous for me ;o)

    Reply

  25. Joanne says

    October 22, 2010 at 11:58 pm

    I see myself having a few of those days this weekend while I study for a Monday exam. I think these cupcakes will not only be necessary. But recommended for the sake of my mental health.

    Reply

  26. Anonymous says

    November 14, 2010 at 1:39 pm

    For those of you who haven't tried these yet… these cupcakes are a must! We are getting ready to make them again today! They are delicious!!! 🙂
    Bellanda

    Reply

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