Banana Split Cupcakes

Part I Graduation Party:  This past week my baby girl graduated from 5th grade.  It was such a bittersweet moment.  On one hand I am excited for her to explore this next chapter in her life, but it saddens me that she is growing up way too fast for me.  The parents decided to throw the graduates a party and I decides to bring cupcakes.  Anyone else surprised, more and more that seems to be my go to dessert to bring.  Now mind you once I had already signed up to bring them, I soon realized that there were about 100 5th graders!!  The panic was soon to set in.  I have never made that many at once.  I knew that I had to plan plan plan.  I wanted to bring a chocolate one and a vanilla one.  For the vanilla one I thought it would be fun to create a favorite ice cream treat into cupcake form.  With this cupcake I think I pretty much captured all the flavors (except pineapple).  I put the banana flavor into the cupcake, strawberry in the cream filling, vanilla in the frosting and drizzled it with chocolate, topped with nuts and a banana split wouldn't be complete without a cherry.  I had so much fun making these and hopefully the kids enjoyed them just as much.  The Chocolate cupcake up next.  Indulge!

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE CUPCAKES

1 package French vanilla cake mix

1 package instant French vanilla pudding mix

1 cup sour cream

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 bananas mashed

FOR THE VANILLA BEAN FROSTING

(adapted slightly from Pioneer Woman’s, “The Best Frosting I’ve Ever Had”)

5Tablespoons Flour

½ cup milk

½ cup heavy cream

2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1 cup butter

1 cup granulated sugar (not powdered sugar)

FOR THE STRAWBERRY FILLING

1 cup marshmallow cream

6 tablespoons butter

¼ cup strawberry jam (I used homemade, but store bought works as well)

1 ½ tablespoons heavy cream

Dash of salt

Combine in a bowl and set aside

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

8oz Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips

1 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS:

FOR THE CUPCAKES

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line muffin tin with paper liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the cake and pudding mix, sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla and bananas.  Beat for about two minutes on medium speed until well combined.

Using a large cookie scoop, pour batter halfway in each of the 24 tins, sprinkle ½ teaspoon of the streusel mixture and pour in remaining batter.  Sprinkle another ½ teaspoon of streusel mixture on top.

Bake in a preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched.  Allow cupcakes to cool.  Once they are cooled core out the middle and pipe in the strawberry cream.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Place chips in a bowl and set aside.  Heat heavy cream on medium high heat until it just about comes to a boil.  Remove from heat and immediately pour cream over chocolate, place towel over bowl for 5 minutes.  Stir mixture until completely mixed and glossy.

FOR THE VANILLA BEAN FROSTING

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and cream, stirring constantly until it thickens.  You will want it to be very thick, thicker than cake mix more like brownie mix.  Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.  It must be completely cool before you use it.  Stir in vanilla bean paste

While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Then add the cooled flour mixture and beat the living daylights out of it.  If it looks separated, you haven’t beaten it enough.  Beat until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.

Grab a spoon and taste this wonderful goodness.  If there is any left after your taste test, pipe onto your cupcakes finish with a drizzle of chocolate ganache, nuts and top with a cherry.  Indulge!



I decided to make my own cupcake stand to place all the cupcakes on for the party.  Since their school's mascot was a cheetah and the colors are red and gold, I went with a cheetah print.