For two months this summer I lived 20 feet away from a Trader Joe's. Sometimes I'd go multiple times in a day. I went and got free samples almost every day (is that even allowed?). I became addicted to their dark chocolate espresso beans. I have been both the first and the last person in the store. Let's just say it was an obsession. Another of my favorite things about Trader Joe's was their 19 cent bananas. 19 cents!? Bananas have to be the most affordable fruit out there. I'd go and stock up and bake banana bread galore. 

Well, now I don't live next to a Trader Joe's, and even though bananas are only 75 cents, I haven't purchased them since the summer. Maybe I've just been mourning the loss of a convenient grocery store. Thankfully I've come to my senses. So, I'm starting back my banana craze with these great banana muffins with cream cheese frosting. Bananas and cream cheese...it's perfection. 

Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
2-2/3 cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 sticks butter
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup buttermilk (milk or coconut milk can be used here as well)
1 cup shredded coconut (I skipped them since I didn’t have any in hand)

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with a kitchen mixer using paddle attachment. Add sugar and beat for a few minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time while continue to beat at low speed and vanilla. The mixture will be silky smooth – add banana and lower speed.

Mix in the flour and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with the flour.

Fill into cupcake pans (fill up about 2/3-full, you should get approximately 18 cupcakes), bake them for about 18-minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Alternatively, you can also bake these as layered cakes, pour into 2 9-inch pans, and bake for 45 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes in pan before inverting on wire rack to cool.

The cupcakes can be stored in room temperature for up to 2 days, or they will become dense and unappealing!

Yield: ~18 cupcakes

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Make frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter with 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar. Continue to beat while adding remaining sugar 1/4 cup at a time. Add vanilla, and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes.





4 comments

Jaclyn said... @ January 24, 2013 at 4:47 PM

We must have similar taste in food, I've been craving banana cake with cream cheese frosting =)! Everything you post looks amazing keep it up!

Anonymous said... @ January 25, 2013 at 3:02 PM

Oh my goodness...I have been reading your blog all day from the current one to all of the archived blogs. Everything looks amazing and I can't wait to try some of the recipes. Who am I kidding...all of the recipes :) You have quite a knack for presentation too! You may want to consider food presentation/photography to make a living because you really have talent! Thank you for sharing!!

Sarah said... @ January 30, 2013 at 3:03 PM

Ha! I think the exact same thing every time I look at your posts. Thank you!!

Sarah said... @ January 30, 2013 at 3:05 PM

Thanks so much! That just made my day! I will say some of those older posts/pictures aren't quite so pretty, but I keep them up anyways because the food is still great. Hope you enjoy giving some of the recipes a try!!

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