Banana Birthday Cupcakes

Even though you’ll never remember it, a first birthday is a big deal. It’s a celebration for your parents, and everyone who loves you, that you’ve all survived 365 days of firsts. From the first smile to the first illness, the first year is a roller coaster for everyone involved. A party is well-earned!

It’s also traditionally the first time a baby will taste cake. That’s why it was such an honor for my sister-in-law to ask me to bring the cupcakes for my nephew Charlie’s first birthday. Baking is a way I express love, so I filled these cupcakes with love for the adorable moppet who has stolen my heart.

They are also filled with bananas, because he is related to my husband, who will not celebrate a birthday without banana cake. As I predicted, they were a big hit.

This post is also my blog’s birthday, the first piece I’ll put out into the world. Here I’ll share the recipes that I enjoy making for my family and friends. I hope you’ll enjoy it, and that we’ll be celebrating the blog’s first birthday next year.

-A

Banana Birthday Cupcakes
Adapted from a recipe from Penzy’s Spices
Makes 18 cupcakes

• 1 ¼  cups granulated sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 ¼ Cups mashed very ripe bananas (3-4)

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

Mash the bananas (I like to use a potato masher) and then measure. Set aside in bowl.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the sour cream.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture and mix until combined. Add the bananas and vanilla.

Divide among cupcake liners (I use a scoop that puts about 1/4 cup in each liner). Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cupcakes comes out clean. If you bake both cupcake pans at once, be sure to switch and rotate pans during baking.

Cool in the pans for a few minutes, than transfer to a wire rack to cool.

You can top these with any icing you like (cream cheese is good with banana) but I used this chocolate one from America’s Test Kitchen. It makes 3 cups, which is enough to generously frost the cupcakes with some leftover.

Foolproof Chocolate Frosting from Cook’s Illustrated

• 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softended
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 3/4 dutch processed cocoa
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 ounces chocolate (milk, semi sweet, or bittersweet) melted and cooled slightly

In food processor, process butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape sides of bowl, then add chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 seconds. Frosting can be used immediately or held.

To ice as pictured, fit a large piping bag with a large star tip, such as Ateco 848. Swirl the frosting on, starting from the center.