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Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Author: PJ Hamel

Who doesn't love a PB & B sandwich? This classic flavor combo makes a great cupcake: moist banana cake, peanut butter frosting, and a blizzard of crushed salty/sweet honey roasted peanuts on top.

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At a glance

Prep
Bake
Total
Yield
12 cupcakes

Ingredients

Choose your measure:

Cupcakes

  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 small or 2 medium very ripe bananas, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup yogurt or buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon banana flavor, optional
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
  • 2 1/3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 tablespoons Cake Enhancer, optional, for moist texture

Frosting

  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 3/4 cup peanut butter, creamy or chunky
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt, optional, to taste
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup milk or half & half
  • 1 1/3 cups crushed honey roasted peanuts, to garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin or cupcake pan; or line with papers, and grease the papers.
  2. Beat the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until well combined.
  3. Add the eggs, and beat thoroughly. The mixture may look a bit lumpy; that's OK.
  4. Add the banana, honey, and yogurt or buttermilk, beating until well combined. Again, the mixture may look lumpy or curdled; that's OK.
  5. Add the vanilla or banana flavor, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices, flour, and Cake Enhancer. Beat until thoroughly combined.
  6. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, filling the wells almost full; a muffin scoop works well here.
  7. Bake the cupcakes for 24 to 27 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
  8. Remove the cupcakes from the oven, and place the pan on a heatproof surface. As soon as you're able, tilt the cupcakes in the wells of the pan; this prevents their bottoms from steaming.
  9. When the cupcakes are completely cool, make the frosting. Beat together the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt until crumbly.
  10. Add 1/3 cup of the milk or half & half, beating to combine. If the frosting isn't soft enough to spread easily, add more liquid a tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition.
  11. Put the crushed peanuts in a bowl. Frost the cupcakes, using about 42g (1 1/2 ounces) frosting for each. As you frost each cake, dip it into the crushed peanuts, turning it to cover the frosting completely.
  12. Transfer cupcakes to a rack to set briefly; then cover and store airtight until you're ready to serve them. They'll stay fresh for a day or two; longer, if you've used Cake Enhancer.
  13. Yield: 12 cupcakes.