Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter & Honey Frosting

Where do I start?! These are like breakfast in a Cupcake! Anything that has bananas and cream cheese qualifies as breakfast to me 😉

The banana cupcakes are super simple and not very sweet, they’re just right.  I usually decide to bake with bananas because I have bananas sitting on my counter that are supppper ripe.  This time, I didn’t have any bananas but I wanted something tasty.  My grocery store sells ripe bananas for cheaper than “regular bananas.”  They were about $.34/lb, just in case you don’t have sitting on your counter but you want to make these too.  You’ll need 4 for this recipe.

The frosting… mmmmm the frosting.  I wanted to eat it by the spoonful.  It’s fluffy and sweet but not over powering.  Each flavor of this cupcake is distinct but not too much, the combo of banana, peanut butter and honey is pretty much amazing.  Like I said, we’re going to eat them for breakfast in my house… sshhhhh! Don’t tell 😉

After piping the frosting with a large star tip, I drizzled a little bit of honey over them and topped them off with a few honey peanuts that were coarsely chopped.  They had a pretty gourmet look but they taste just like home… Hope you like!

Banana Cupcakes: (Recipe Source: Martha Stewart)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Line 16 muffin tins with cupcake liners.
2. In  medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.  In the well combine, melted butter, mashed bananas, eggs and vanilla extract.  Combine with flour until incorporated.  Do not over mix.
4. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Peanut Butter & Honey Frosting

*Just an FYI, I’m sure some variation of this recipe exists online I just kinda went with the flow and used what I thought would taste good 😉

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 1-8oz. package of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup  honey flavored peanut butter (creamy/smooth, not fresh ground)
• 2 generous tbs of honey
• 2 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
• honey (for drizzling)
• honey peanuts, coarsely chopped for garnish

1. Cream butter and cream cheese until light fluffy in a standing bowl mixer on low-medium speed for about 3 minutes.
2. Add the peanut butter until combined and then add honey to taste.  (I used a little bit more than 2 tbs to get it where I wanted it)
3. Add the powdered sugar and combine on low speed until incorporated.
4. Pipe frosting with a large star tip, drizzle cupcakes with honey and then add a sprinkling of honey peanuts.
5. Enjoy for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or… a midnight snack 😉

xoxo-Jenn