Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

A chocolate craving and two very ripe bananas...apparently these comprise the catalyst I need to make a fresh batch of cupcakes. Some things simply aren’t questioned. And these cupcakes were so worth the effort! The cupcakes were wonderfully moist from the bananas in the batter, and the pineapple cream cheese frosting was a perfect flavor companion. This is a tasty cupcake that satisfies your sweet craving!

Source: Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting, Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor

Ingredients

22 to 24 paper liners for muffin pans (2 ½-inch size)

2 ripe bananas, sliced (¾ cup)

1 package (18.25 ounces) plain devil’s food cake mix

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple in its own juice, well drained

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners. Set the pans aside.

Place the banana slices in a large mixing bowl. Blend with the electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds or until they are mashed. Add the cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Blend with the electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look thick and well combined. Spoon the batter into the lined muffin cups, filling each liner two thirds of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Place the pans in the oven.

Bake the cupcakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with the finger and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, lift the cupcakes up from the bottom of the pan using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before frosting.

Meanwhile, prepare the Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting. Pack the well-drained pineapple into a ⅓-cup measure. Set it aside.

Place the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, 30 seconds. Add the confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time, blending with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is combined, 1 minute. Add the reserved pineapple and the cinnamon, if desired. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until the frosting lightens and is fluffy, 1 minute more.

With a long metal spatula, spread frosting on each cupcake until smooth. Serve.