Banana Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Buttercream

Makes 24


Cupcakes
4 small or 3 medium overripe bananas plus 1 more for decoration
splash of milk (optional)
1/4 Cup peanut butter
2 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 sticks of butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a food processor, puree bananas and peanut butter until smooth. Depending on your bananas, you may need to add a splash of mixture so that the consistency is nice and smooth. Set aside.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk or sift flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together. Set aside.
4. In a mixer or large bowl, cream butter and sugars together until well mixed, and airy.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before proceeding.
6. Stir in vanilla, followed by banana puree. Slowly add dry ingredients
7. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Scoop an even amount of dough into each cup. I filled them to the top and had enough for 24 cupcakes.
8. Bake for about 16 minutes. A wooden skewer inserted in the middle willl come out clean and tops are a light brown in color.
9. Remove cupcakes from oven and cool in tins for two minutes. Transfer to cooling rack..
10. Spoon some frosting on top of each cupcake, spread out with a spatula.

For frosting:
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk

1. In a small bowl or mixer, cream butter.
2. Mix in cocoa powder (you can add more or less depending on taste).
3. Mix in vanilla.
4. Mix in half of powdered sugar, followed by half of the milk.

Mix in the rest of the powdered sugar. Blend well. Add the rest of the milk and mix completely. If your frosting is too thin, add more sugar (or cocoa depending on taste). If it is too thick, add more milk.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich

3 cups good quality chopped milk chocolate
4 tablespoons shortening
12 halved graham crackers
2 cups creamy peanut butter


1.  Melt chocolate and shortening over a double boiler, stirring to melt.  I use a small saucepan, boil water, reduce heat to low and place a heat proof bowl over the saucepan then add my chocolate, stirring until melted.

2.  Dip each graham cracker into chocolate and let set up on wax or parchment paper.  Stick in the freezer for a few minutes to speed this up.  Spread 2 tablespoons (or a cookie scoopful) of peanut butter over the top of each dipped graham cracker then place in the freezer for 10 more minutes.  This step is important.   While the peanut butter is freezing, remove chocolate from heat and stir, so it cools slightly and thickens up a touch.  Slowly and carefully spoon melted chocolate over tops and sides of peanut butter.  This is where the patience and work comes in.  Use a small spoon working the chocolate around the edges and sides.  You’ll then use a little plastic knife to run the chocolate around the edges and clean it up a little.  Let set up, (stick back in the freezer for another 10 minutes) then with a spoon, drizzle chocolate over top to get the “lines” you see in the pictures above.  (If your chocolate is too thick at this point, set it back over the double boiler so it melts a little bit).


My reviews…Definitely keep these chilled just like Disneyland does, they melt rather quickly once your fingers get on them.  It was tricky to get mine to look quite as pretty as the Disneyland ones, but with a little patience you can do it!  Have fun and keep them chilled!
Makes 12 “sandwiches”