The King of Cupcakes

Late night cupcakin’

It has been a long time coming that I get back to making cupcakes. I bake often to relieve stress and to fuel my teams during busy season. The life of an auditor is a yummy one, for my teams anyway.

I was feeling a little stir crazy tonight and recalled a conversation I had earlier this month with Mr. E. He had only recently learned of the classic Elvis in the form of a smoothie and it had me hankering for a hunka hunka burning peanut butter and banana sandwich. I spied four bananas getting ripe on my kitchen counter, saved for a likely healthy destination. I took it upon myself to steer these babies away from healthy to a world of fat and sugar and magic.

For the cupcakes
1 1/2 cups AP flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 large ripe bananas, roughly mashed
2 extra large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the frosting
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 8 oz package cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. I got 14 cupcakes from the recipe.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add melted butter, bananas, eggs and vanilla. Using a hand mixer, mix until just combined. Do not over mix or you will get a tough crumb.

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full. Bake for about 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from pan and let cool completely prior to frosting.

To make the frosting, cream together peanut butter, cream cheese, and butter until fluffy using a hand mixer. Gradually add the powdered sugar until well combined. Add vanilla extract.

To frost, I used my handy dandy 1M star tip because it makes the frosting look too pretty to eat. To complete the Elvis flavor trifecta, drizzle honey just before serving.

All is right with the world when there are cupcakes in my fridge

These were ridiculous. The frosting is light and sweet and salty. If you love peanut butter and bananas, you will love these!