USE UP THE RIPE BANANAS CUPCAKES

BANANA CUPCAKE WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

BANANA CUPCAKE WITH ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Use-Up-The-Ripe-Bananas Cupcakes
with Fresh Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
or Peanut Butter and Chopped Peanuts Frosting

Is it just me, or do most people buy too many bananas (well, they come in a bunch) causing some to sit around the kitchen becoming very ripe and no longer pretty on the outside, but wonderfully flavorful and sweet on the inside?  One son-in-law thinks that very ripe, sweet bananas have gone rotten--all those black spots-- and won't touch banana bread or banana desserts...bananas with black anything, in his view, are way past their prime and way ready for the trash.

One of my favorite uses for these bananas that would find their way into the trash tomorrow is to bake cupcakes, which, with this recipe, are more like muffins topped with a dollop of flavorful  frosting added to their tops.

This recipe yields 12-14 regular sized cupcakes.

First, in a mixer bowl with a paddle attachment cream together:
1 stick butter at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar

When this mixture is smooth and fluffy add:
2 large room temperature eggs

Then add 2 or 3 (I go with 3) very ripe bananas broken into large chunks.  Mix 2 minutes, making sure the banana pieces have distributed well into the mixture with no large chunks remaining.

Now, add 1/4 cup of a  liquid sugary ingredient such as honey or light corn syrup or real maple syrup, depending on your tastes and what is in your pantry.

Next, add 1/4 cup of plain or vanilla yogurt or buttermilk.

Now choose a flavor booster such as vanilla extract, banana flavor, or rum, and add ½ to 1 teaspoon of your flavor choice.

This mixture may look curdled and due to the banana chunks it will be lumpy...not a pretty batter, but this is all how it should be.

In a separate medium size bowl whisk together: (You can do this while above is mixing or at the beginning of the cupcake making process, and set aside.)

2 1/3 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Now, preheat your oven to 350^ and line your cupcake pan with papers.  You are ready to add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixer bowl.  Beat these ingredients together until all are well incorporated, but don’t over beat.  2 minutes of mixing is long enough, with a break to scrape down the bowl sides at about 1 minute.

It is easiest to use an ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake liners.  You will want to fill them 3/4 full.  Bake these cupcakes for 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean and the tops are golden brown.

When done, remove from oven to a wire rack and remove the cupcakes from the pans after 2 minutes.  If the cupcakes are allowed to completely cool in the pan, their bottoms may become soggy.

When the cupcakes are completely cool, make the frosting and pipe a swirl on each.

Frosting ideas:

1.    Peanut Butter Frosting:

In the bowl of a mixer with a paddle attachment place:
3/4 Cup peanut butter–I like chunky, but creamy is OK
2 Cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ Cup whole milk or cream or any milk will do...but creamy milk is best.

Beat all together...may need a tad more milk to create a good piping consistency.  In dry AZ I usually need more liquid.  (Piping is not necessary, can frost with a knife or spatula.)

After piping onto cupcake tops, garnish tops with chopped salted, roasted peanuts.  (Again any peanuts will do such as honey peanuts...whatever you have or like best.)

These cupcakes keep well for 3 days in an air-tight container.  If you keep them in the fridge, they will be good for an extra 2 days.
                   
This frosting also works well with chocolate cupcakes or desserts with jam such as shortbread with jam.


2.    Fresh Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat together until creamy, but not airy (too much air does not pipe well):
1 stick butter
1 eight oz package cream cheese

Add the zest and juice of one juice orange (not navel orange).  Beat again.

Add enough powdered sugar to make good piping consistency...about 3-4 cups, depending on the juiciness and size of your orange.  Any leftovers keep well in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 weeks.  This frosting works well with strawberries or other berries desserts (such as strawberry cupcakes) or any citrus desserts that need a dollop of iciing.


NOTE:  One great thing about these cupcakes is that frosting is not necessary...they are good on their own, much like a muffin.  Without frosting these cupcakes are wonderful for brunch or as a quick on-the-run breakfast.

Add Ins you may like:
chopped pecans or walnuts
coconut
crushed pineapple (reduce the sugary liquid in the recipe)

Kris Coconut Cupcakes with Lemon Curd and Cream Cheese Frosting

LUSCIOUS COCONUT CUPCAKES WITHLEMON CURD AND TOASTED COCONUT GARNISH

Kris’ Coconut Cupcakes with Lemon Curd

Yield: 24-36 Cupcakes, depending on size

First, make your garnish by spreading a cup or two of sweetened, shredded coconut on a baking sheet and place in a preheated 325^ oven.  Stir every few minutes until the coconut has toasted to a light, golden color.  This process will take 5 to 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

1 3/4 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt, kosher is best

3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup buttermilk

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350^, place rack in oven center, and line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until fluffy, add the sugar and beat on medium high until light–3 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

Add vanilla and combine.

Beat in the coconut until combined, scraping the bowl sides as needed.

Add half the flour mixture and beat on low until combined.  Add buttermilk and beat until combined.  Then add the remaining flour mixture and beat just until all ingredients are incorporated.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups, using an ice cream type scoop, about 1/4 cup batter per paper liner, filling the cups about 3/4 full.

Bake until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of cupcake comes out clean, about 18 minutes.

Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes and place on rack to cool completely. 

Create a hole in the top of each cupcake using a small knife or very small scoop.  Fill this hole with lemon curd, recipe to follow.

Frost the filled cupcakes with a layer of cream cheese frosting using a piping bag with a large decorative tip.  A star stip works well.  Recipe to follow.

Sprinkle with the toasted coconut. 

Keep the filled and frosted cupcakes in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

Ingredients:

2 large eggs
8 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice, strained
2 Tbls. Unsalted butter

Procedure:

In a heatproof bowl set over, but not touching, simmering water in a saucepan.  Whisk together the eggs and yolks, sugar and lemon juice.  Cook stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes.  Remove from the heat and add the butter, stirring until incorporated.  Strain and cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on top of the curd and refrigerate until chilled.  The curd will keep for a week in the fridge.  Makes about 2 cups.


Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients:

4 cups powdered sugar (or more for desired consistency)
1 stick butter
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Procedure:

Beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.  Add butter and beat until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and beat on low until incorporated and then mix on medium for 1 minute or until smooth, but not airy.  Add lemon juice and beat until mixed.

Pipe onto cupcakes as desired for frosting.

Vanilla Sheet Cake (Cut into Strawberry Cakelets)

3-4 BITE SIZE STRAWBERRY CAKELETS

This coming Tuesday is the first day of Spring.  I took a dessert to my class that would celebrate this anticipated day, which this year is rainy and cold.  But the winter will soon be gone, making way for warm, sunny days ahead.

Kris’ Vanilla Sheet Cake

Preheat oven to 350^
Use spray oil such as Pam to prepare baking sheet (12 X 18 x 1)
If you want to remove whole cake from pan, butter and flour pan before adding batter, instead of using Pam.

Ingredients

    1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for baking sheet
    3 cups  flour (for my cutout cakes) or use cake flour for a lighter cake
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1 teaspoon salt
    2 1/4 cups sugar
    2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 cup milk, warmed (not hot) in microwave
    4 large room temp eggs, whipped with a fork

(For a white cake, use 8 whites and no yolks..Whip them separately to form stiff peaks with 1/4 cup of the sugar.  Gently fold these whites into the other ingredients at the end, after wet and dry ingredients have been mixed.  This makes a lighter cake that is great with the cake flour.  Cut the vanilla to ½ teaspoon.)

Directions:
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
   
In the bowl of an electric mixer, using a paddle attachment, beat butter and 2 cups sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy, scraping down sides and bottom of  bowl as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition.

With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until just combined.    

Transfer batter to prepared baking sheet and smooth batter evenly with a spatula.

Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes. If you want to remove cake from pan, invert cake onto rack, then re-invert and let cool completely.

I double this recipe for my SS class.  Makes 75 one inch 2 layer cakelets with two baking sheets of cake.  And I add an extra egg when doubling the recipe.  (For 1 1layer Strawberry Cakelets used 2 oz souffle cups by Solo from Smart and Final.)




Cream Cheese-Heavy Cream Frosting for Vanilla Cakelets, piped on using large tip for SS class:

In a mixer bowl with a whip attachment:

Whip 16 oz cream cheese, room temp, until smooth and creamy.
Add 1 Cup Sugar, whip again till smooth.
Add 1 Tablespoon Vanilla extract
and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Whip again to combine.

Now, add 2 Cups Cream and whip to stiff peaks. 

I refrigerate this mixture overnight to thoroughly chill and then re-whip to ensure stiff peaks.  These peaks will keep well all day long...through SS class and family dinner, etc.

This mixture can be flavored with a fruit puree or other flavors as long as the puree is not too watery...some fruit purees may need to be reduced...kinda like a jam.

This is a great dessert to make in advance and then assemble quickly.  The cakes can be made and cut out a day ahead and so can the frosting be made a day ahead.

On the day of use, I cut out the cakelets, topped with fruit puree, added another cake layer (or not on above photo), topped that with frosting, and garnished with a piece of fruit (a nut leaf would have been lovely).

MADE 75 ONE LAYER CAKELETS FOR MY SS CLASS 3.18.12

I assembled 75 cakelets in 15 minutes.  Got up at 7, re-whipped my frosting, got cleaned up, did my hair, got dressed, and was at Church by 8:10...and during that time I also assembled my dessert.   Not bad for a not-morning person.  This was the favorite dessert I took (others were chocolate and oat cookies).