It must have something to do with “back-to-school”, but for some reason I’m obsessed with cupcakes. I’ll post an actual cookie recipe soon, but here’s a recipe for the banana cupcakes I made yesterday. I ate one and gave the rest to some friends down the street hoping that at least one person in the family would like them. Our new street has big families, which is a plus since there’s always someone willing to taste test.
The base is one of my favorite banana cakes to which I added a tiny bit of Amaretto, and for the frosting I used a recipe that originally went with an old Amaretto Italian Cream Cake recipe from the Austin Statesman. I’m still anxious to try that cream cake, but I figured cupcakes would be easier to share and they were.
Banana Cupcakes with Amaretto Cream Cheese Frosting
4 oz unsalted butter or 1/2 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed bananas, about 2 large
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons Amaretto
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour ( 9 oz)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Amaretto Cream Cheese Frosting:
6 tablespoons butter, softened
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons Amaretto
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 20 muffin cups or line with paper liners.
Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in bananas, vanilla and Amaretto. Stir in sour cream. Thoroughly mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, then add to creamed mixture and stir until it’s mixed in.
Spoon batter into cupcake pans and bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until cakes tests done. Cool cakes in pan on a wire rack then frost with Amaretto cream cheese icing.
Frosting: Beat the butter, cream cheese and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar and amaretto and beat until frosting is light and creamy. Spoon over cupcakes.
Decorate cupcakes with almonds or pecans.
Makes 20
Anna
You can definitely leave out the Amaretto, but the sour cream is pretty critical since it provides moisture and fat. You could replace it with yogurt, but the cake might not be as rich. I think you’ll love the cake with the sour cream :). Good luck!
bakinglover
hey, is it possible to remove the amaretto and sour cream from the recipe? am intending to make a normal and yummy banana cake! what should i do!:)
Sonya
I made these last week and they were very good! Thank you!
Tracy
Mmmm … I’m always looking for recipes for ripe bananas. I haven’t had much like with cupcakes. I’ll have to try this one.
Anna
T, riper bananas just add more flavor and sweetness, but I use ones that aren’t super ripe all the time. Things still turn out good, but I think riper bananas do make a difference. And I’m always freezing bananas, but I do remove the peel.
T. Martin
Anna,
Do the bananas need to be ripe for this recipe?
I am having a real problem lately with coming across good banana recipes and not having any ripe bananas lying around. A recent tip in a baking email I receive said you can throw a ripe banana in the freezer, peel still on, and just defrost when needed so I may have to start buying bananas on a regular basis.
Bakericious
this looks delicious
Katrina
Bbbbbbbbanana! (That’s what I’d sound like if I had the amaretto, too. hehe jk) I overbought bananas and have about 8 ripes ones on the counter right now. (I think I need to not buy so many when there’s so many other good fruits in season right now.)
Betty @ scrambled hen fruit
Bananas and amaretto- yum! (And I just happen to have some speckled bananas on my counter!)
Kim @ Two Good Cookies
This is a nice change from banana bread! I look forward to making these.
vanillasugar
nice combo anna! nice!
Natalie (The Sweets Life)
I love amaretto flavored things–just put some ripe bananas in my freezer this morning, must make these soon!
Fallon
Yum, love the amaretto flare!
I’m also a bit obsessed with cupcakes lately. 😉
Pearl Lee
looks delicious!
Jalanda
Ok, now I’m convinced that there MUST be a subliminal message out there. I made banana nut muffins this morning. I guilded the lily (and turned them into cupcakes?) with a homemade cream cheese frosting. I am the hero today at work.
But I have to admit, I just bookmarked this recipe. The amaretto sounds so yummy in there!
Amy
Funny, I made banana cupcakes yesterday too. A Martha Stewart recipe with honey-cinnamon frosting.
Hi to your family from ours~!
Tina from Pa
Another one to add to my “make soon” list. They look so good.