Chocolate Dipped Banana Cupcakes With Banana Buttercream Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake or muffin pan with 24 regular-size cupcake liners.
• Measure all the ingredients accurately. Bring all the ingredients to room temperature. Place the butter in the mixing bowl. With the paddle attachment, beat the butter slowly until it is smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar; cream the mixture at moderate speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time. After each addition, beat until the eggs are incorporated before adding more. After the eggs are fully incorporated, mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, sift the cake flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and nutmeg together. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing. Then add one-quarter of the sifted dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix just until blended. Mix the milk and banana puree. Add approximately one-third of the liquids. Mix just until blended in. Repeat until all ingredients are incorporated.
• Fill the cupcake liners half full with batter and bake until golden and baked through, about 35 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely.
• To assemble: Cut the center out of each cupcake and fill with the French Banana Buttercream. Dip the top of the cupcake in the Chocolate Ganache. Generously frost the top of each cupcake with the Italian Meringue Buttercream Frosting.
• Combine the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan. Dissolve the sugar. Boil until it reaches 240 degrees F.
• While the syrup is boiling, bet the yolks with an electric mixer with a wire whip until thick and light.
• When the syrup reaches temperature, pour it very slowly into the beaten yolks while whipping constantly. Continue to beat until the mixture is completely cool and the yolks are very thick and light.
• Whip in the butter a little at a time, adding it just as fast as it's absorbed by the mixture.
• Beat in the vanilla and banana puree. If the icing is too soft, refrigerate until it is firm enough to spread.
• Put the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream to a simmer. Once a simmer is reached, pour over the chocolate chips. Using a whisk, whip until smooth and creamy.
• Combine 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Boil to reach 230 degrees F. Leave it alone. Cook over medium heat.
• While the syrup is boiling, using a whip attachment, start beating the egg whites and cream of tartar in a mixing bowl. Once peaks begin to form, add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar to make the peaks stiff.
• When the syrup reaches temperature, slowly pour it into the beaten egg whites while whipping constantly with the mixer on the lowest speed. Beat on high until cool, about 5 minutes.
• Turn down to medium-low speed and add the butter on the sides and scrape. Turn to high and beat until you have a smooth texture. Add the vanilla and chocolate ganache.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
• Reduce speed to low. Mix mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla in a bowl. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with wet ingredients and ending with dry. Scrape sides of bowl. Stir pecans into batter. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
• Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks. (Unfrosted cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.) Once cupcakes are cool, frost tops with caramel buttercream. Frosted cupcakes will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 days. Top with banana slices before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl; set aside. Beat 1/2 cup butter and the white sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, allowing each to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Beat in the vanilla with the last egg. Pour in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing until just incorporated. Fold in the chopped bananas, mixing just enough to evenly combine. Pour the batter into prepared cups.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
• While the cupcakes are cooling, make the buttercream by beating 2/3 cup of butter in a bowl until smooth and glossy. Beat in the vanilla, followed by the confectioners' sugar. Once no dry lumps of sugar remain, add the cream and food coloring. Whip on high speed until light and fluffy. Frost the cooled cupcakes with the buttercream frosting.