Banana bread cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

Ingredients

• 2 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 extra-ripe bananas, mashed with a fork until smooth
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk

for cream cheese frosting:

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• seeds of one vanilla bean (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract but if you can get the vanilla bean, do that..it makes a big difference!)

You may like

Banana bread - video recipe!

Preparation

• Preheat your oven to 350 and grease (or line) a cupcake pan.
• Cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy and then add the eggs, one at time, beating after each addition.
• In a small bowl, combine the mashed banana with the vanilla and buttermilk and stir well until combined.
• In a larger bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon).
• Add the wet and dry ingredients alternately to the creamed butter, mixing well after each addition.
• This works best if you have a Kitchen Aid and keep it running on low the whole time.
• Fill muffin tins about 3/4th of the way full and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden. Let cool completely while you make the frosting.
• For the frosting, beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla bean seeds and powdered sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy.
• Top cupcakes with toffee bits if you like.