Banana & Chocolate Cupcakes
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Prep time: 
Cook time: 
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Serves: 12
 
Ingredients
CAKE:
  • 170 g Flour
  • 12 g Baking powder (10g food store)
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • ¼ tsp Cinnamon
  • 80 g Unsalted Butter, room temperature
  • ½ c White Sugar
  • 1 Egg + 1 Egg Yolk (80g)
  • ½ Tbsp Vanilla Extract
  • 100 ml milk
  • 180 g fresh banana, fried in 25 g salted butter
CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
  • 60g dark chocolate
  • 30g milk chocolate
  • 100ml cream
  • Tiny pinch of Salt
Instructions
  1. Start by frying the bananas. Spray a small saucepan with non-stick cooking spray. Slice the fresh bananas into 2 cm thick slices. Add the 25g salted butter to the pan and place of medium heat. Leave the bananas to caramelize, stirring only about every 30 seconds. When you stir, take care to scrape the chewy bits off the bottom of the pan and incorporate it into the rest of the banana mixture. Keep caramelizing until you literally can’t anymore. You will notice that most of the liquid has evaporated and there will be caramelized bits throughout the banana “goo”. Set aside to cool.
  2. Preheat your oven to 180˚C/350˚F.
  3. To make the banana cupcakes, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt & cinnamon. Set aside.
  4. Cream butter and sugar together for 4 minutes with the whish attachment or with a hand mixer.
  5. Add in the egg, beat for 10 seconds. Add the egg yolk and beat for an additional 50 seconds.
  6. Add the vanilla extract and caramelized banana goo to the butter and egg mixture. Beat well until fully combined.
  7. Add flour and milk and beat on lowest speed for 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl and continue to mix on lowest speed another 10 seconds – a few lumps are okay.
  8. With a metal spoon, fold the mixture over a few times to make sure all the butter and banana is distributed evenly.
  9. Line a 12 hole cupcake tin with paper cases.
  10. Distribute the batter evenly – keep in mind these cupcakes do rise a little bit less than normal yellow/vanilla cake due to the added bananas. I fill my cases ¾ of the way.
  11. Bake on oven rack A (if you don’t know what I mean, read my post on Baking Perfect Cupcakes) for 15 – 20 minutes, turning after 8 minutes for an even bake. The banana cupcakes are done when a skewer tests clean.
Finishing the cupcakes:
  1. While the cupcakes are cooling, make the chocolate ganache.
  2. Chop all of the chocolate and place it a glass bowl along with the salt.
  3. Heat the cream to boiling point and pour over the chocolate. Allow to stand for 30 seconds, then stir till smooth. Set aside to cool.Banana Cupcakes | banana cake | best banana cupcakes recipe
  4. Once your cupcakes are cool, make a hole in the center of each one. I use the handle of a wooden spoon and wiggle it around a bit. An apple corer does not work well with these particular banana cupcakes as the cake is so soft and slightly sticky.
  5. Fill the center of each cupcake with chocolate ganache. A plastic sandwich bag (with a tip cut off) works perfectly.
  6. Top with Philosophy of Yum Low Sugar Chocolate Frosting.
  7. Ice your cupcakes however you wish. I like to pipe it on top with a star nozzle and finish each cupcake with a crunchy banana chip 
  8. Eat and be happy!
Notes
Do not skip the caramelizing of the banana! It makes ALL the difference.
Recipe by Philosophy Of Yum Blog at https://philosophyofyum.com/banana-chocolate-cupcakes/