Banana Split Cupcakes

I would like to say that after blogging and baking religiously for a year that I can exert some will power and say, “I’ll only have one bite and then I’ll be good…” But news flash, I am still a dessert FEIGN and if something is so very delicious I CANNOT just take “one bite.”

That is unheard of and I am calling bullcrap. However, I do live by the rule of “it doesn’t count if I eat it while standing up,” which is why you will constantly see me standing in front of an open refrigerator with my mouth full of cupcakes… Sad but true life.

I have been telling myself for the past two weeks that I need to take a break from baking… My fridge doesn’t have any more space for baked goods and now I’m just being wasteful. But I can’t help it.

I came home from work the other night and plopped on my couch to begin my nightly routine of telling myself I’m going to work out while simultaneously watching Food Network’s Chopped and pinning recipes from Tastespotting. Very productive.

As I was happily pinning away I realized I already worked out this morning so I could take the night off and bake something instead. Skinny.

I currently have $14 in my bank account (no shame admitting that) so my options are pretttty limited when it comes to buying ingredients. Thankfully, my baking binges came in handy and I had a plethora of leftover ingredients on hand including rotting bananas, ripe strawberries, buttermilk, whipping cream, and chocolate ganache. Lightbulb!

My two great loves, ice cream and cupcake decorating, go hand in hand for this recipe. But seriously, are these not the cutest cupcakes you have ever seen?! I can’t even begin to describe the patience I exhausted while decorating these cupcakes. Too cute to handle. And would you believe me if I said they were delicious too?

A light cupcake with a subtle banana flavor, stuffed with macerated strawberries and crushed pineapple, topped with whipped cream frosting, milk chocolate ganache, SPRINKLES, and a cherry on top. NOTE: It  is IMPOSSIBLE to find maraschino cherries with stems attached so I hand removed stems from fresh cherries and inserted them into maraschino cherries. That is determination, my friends.

Banana Split Cupcakes recipe from Annie’s Eats:

For the cupcakes:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2½ cups sugar
6 eggs
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. buttermilk
1 1/3 cups mashed ripe banana

For the filling:
1 lb. strawberries, hulled and diced small
2 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
12 oz. crushed pineapple, drained

For the frosting:
1½ cups heavy cream, chilled
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
½ tsp. vanilla extract

For the ganache:
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp. light corn syrup

For garnish:
Multi-colored sprinkles
Maraschino cherries

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Reduce the mixer speed to medium low and add in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Mix in 1 the mashed banana until well combined.  With the mixer on low speed alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing only until just incorporated.
2. Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 to ¾ full.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-22 minutes.  Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. To make the strawberry filling, combine the strawberries and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl.  Toss well, smashing slightly with a fork.  Allow the berries to macerate at least 20-30 minutes.
4. To fill the cupcakes, cut a small cone out of the center of each cupcake with a paring knife or small biscuit cutter.  (The excess cake can be discarded.)  Add a teaspoon or two of the strawberry filling to the center of each cupcake.  Top with a teaspoon or two of the crushed pineapple, filling to the top of the cupcake.
5. To make the frosting, add the heavy cream to the chilled bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.  Whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.  Add the powdered sugar and continue to whip until thoroughly combined and stiff peaks form.  Be careful not to over-beat!  Blend in the vanilla extract.
6. Add the whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip.  Pipe a swirl of the whipped cream onto each filled cupcake, covering the filling.  Transfer the filled and frosted cupcakes to the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.
7. To make the ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.  Bring the cream to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Remove from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate; let stand 1-2 minutes.  Whisk together until a thick, smooth ganache forms.  Blend in the corn syrup.  Let stand at room temperature at least 10 minutes so the ganache is not hot.
8. To finish the cupcakes, pour a spoonful of the ganache over the whipped cream topping of each cupcake.  Garnish with sprinkles and maraschino cherries before the glaze sets.  Chill the assembled cupcakes until ready to serve.