Bananas Foster Cupcakes

It's really a shame that these cupcakes are so homely because they're some of the best I've ever made.

Moist banana cake, Brown Sugar Cinnamon frosting, and Rum caramel sauce.  

A perfect, magical combination! Make sure to use fresh brown sugar, and whip it long enough, so your frosting isn't gritty.

The Rum Caramel Sauce can be made up to a week ahead of time to save time. Just store it in the fridge and warm it up slightly before drizzling over your frosted cupcakes. 

Bananas Foster Cupcakes

Rum Caramel Sauce (For the rum version- see the note starred at the bottom of the recipe. I used 1 tsp Rum extract but you can use Dark Rum instead if you have it.)

Banana Cupcakes

Recipe from Food.com

-1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (I use ones that are heavily dotted with brown but aren't completely black)

-2 tsp lemon juice

-3 cups flour

-1 1/2 tsp baking soda

-1/4 tsp salt

-3/4 cup butter, softened

-1 3/4 cups sugar

-3 large eggs

-2 tsp vanilla

-1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Line cupcake tins with 24 cupcake liners.

In a small bowl mixed the mashed bananas and the lemon juice.  I like my cupcakes smooth so I actually puree my banana with the lemon juice.

In a separate bowl whisk together flour, soda, and salt. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, then stir in vanilla.  Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk while mixing gently. Stir in bananas just until combined.

Pour batter into cupcake liners and bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Note: For a banana cake, you can bake this in a greased 9x13 pan, or two 8 inch pans, for about 1 hr- 1 hr 20 minutes at 275 degrees.

Brown Sugar Buttercream

Recipe slightly adapted from BetterBakingBible

-1 cup + 2 Tbsp butter, softened (2 sticks, plus 2 Tbsp)

-9 Tbsp fresh brown sugar  (1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp)

-4 1/2 cups powdered sugar

-4 1/2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream

-3/4 tsp Chinese or other high quality cinnamon

Place butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and cream until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes. Add powedered sugar, whipping cream, and cinnamon.  Mix at medium speed for 5 minutes or until well-combined.  

Scoop frosting into a piping bag fitted with a 1M tip and use to swirl frosting onto each cupcake.  

Drizzle with slightly warm Rum caramel sauce and garnish with fresh bananas.