Banana Caramel Cupcakes

Banana Caramel Cupcakes ~ If you love bananas, banana bread and caramel sauce, you will go crazy for this cupcake that masquerades as a cake.

I made this just a few weeks ago and did not have any luck keeping them around. We ended up eating them all before they could be photographed.

This time around I gorged on three of these little babies straight out of the oven and set aside a few for the family, then hid the rest to photograph.

Subtly sweet and flavorful on its own, my family enjoys these Banana Caramel Cupcakes undressed and plain, as much as they liked them filled and frosted.

In fact, we love this recipe so much I no longer make banana bread. This recipe has all the flavor of traditional banana bread, but is so much lighter in texture and weight. The only downside of making them as cupcakes is –I have no self control and end up eating two to three at a time.

A few notes:

• Make two batches as this recipe does not do well doubled up.
• The tops will flatten out slightly as they cool.
• For a variation, I sometimes throw in bittersweet chocolate bits.
• For the caramel sauce try my homemade version. Click here:  http://bit.ly/d6tIvn for the recipe  with  step-by-step pictures. For an even faster homemade shortcut click here: http://bit.ly/aqXRXF.  Lastly, of course you can just buy a jar of caramel sauce, but it’s really so simple and easy to make your own.
• The cupcakes can be stored unfilled and unfrosted for 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Banana Caramel Cupcakes

{Printer Version}

Yields 12 cupcakes
Bake at 350 F. Line 12 regular size cupcake holes or spray holes with non-stick spray.

Ingredients:

Banana Cupcake:
8 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon  baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon allspice
2/3 cups mashed bananas
1/3 cup sour cream
3 tablespoon milk

Filling and Frosting:
1 ½ cups caramel sauce  (store bought or see my homemade version here: http://bit.ly/d6tIvn or the homemade cheat version here: http://bit.ly/aqXRXF)
½ cup heavy cream, whipped
2 medium bananas (medium ripened), sliced
1/3 cup curled chocolate
Instructions:

Banana Cupcake:

1. Beat butter, sugar and eggs on medium speed (adjust up to high for hand mixers) until light and fluffy.
2. Sift and stir in dry ingredients with a wooden spoon. Set aside.
3. Whisk bananas, sour cream and milk until incorporated.
4. Fold banana mixture into remaining ingredients until incorporated.
5. Fill cupcake hole 2/3 and smooth out top with the back of a spoon.
6. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.
7.  Cool completely on rack before assembling.  Remove baking cups from cake.

Filling and Frosting:

1. Fold 3 tablespoons of caramel into cream. Set aside.
2. Cakes horizontally into thirds.
3. Reassemble cake with remaining caramel sauce and bananas.
4. Cover tops of cupcakes with caramel cream.
5. Using a vegetable peeler shave some chocolate off the edge or you can just use chocolate chips like the picture (I couldn’t  find my vegetable peeler). The chocolate will curl on its own as you move the grater against the chocolate.