Bananas foster cupcakes

Om nom nom.

That’s the best way to describe these decadent cupcakes. Or, in the words of my coworker Paul, “That cupcake was amazing! Tastes like banana bread and applesauce cake but better!”

Thanks Paul.

I have two guesses as to why these cupcakes turned out so amazingly.

1. You actually MAKE bananas foster, and then incorporate it into the cupcake batter. There’s no artificial flavoring here, it’s straight up bananas, brown sugar, rum, and a little bit of fire. The result is a rich taste and the best texture ever. As Paul described, it had the texture of banana bread and applesauce cake, both of which are very dense, soft, and moist.

2. I had an amazing cooking partner for this. My friend Meredith came over one afternoon to help me whip up a batch of these, and she was fantastic! She had a great eye for design, had a lot of good ideas, and was just so bubbly and adorable that I think she poured some of her positive energy into the batter.

So next time you have overripe bananas, skip the banana bread and try out these cupcakes!

For the bananas foster you will need:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 ripe bananas, sliced
• 4 tablespoons dark rum
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a saute pan over medium heat. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes, until the butter has melted and the sugar is dissolved. Add the banana slices and cook for 1-2 minutes per side. Stir together the rum and vanilla.

Turn the burner off and add the rum mixture, and light it on fire by placing a flame along the edge of the pan. It will burn out quickly, so be careful, and stand as far back as you can. Stir the bananas around in the sauce to coat them, then transfer everything into a bowl and set aside.

For the cupcakes, you will need:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon dark rum
• 3/4 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 and line 24 cupcake pans. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until fluffy. In a medium bowl, add together the baking soda, flour, and salt. Now add the eggs, sour cream, rum, and vanilla into the banana mixture. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and the banana mixture to the butter and sugar bowl, while mixing on medium speed. Pour into prepared cupcake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Let cool for a few minutes in the pans, then remove to wire racks to cool entirely.

For the frosting you will need:

Print Friendly