Aunt Ruth’s Banana Cupcakes Kick Up Their Heels
When my dad was a boy, his Aunt Ruth came over for dinner. She carried a pan into the kitchen, peeled back the wax paper, and began to scrape off and rearrange the frosting on clearly squashed cupcakes. When she was getting ready to come to the dinner, she put the cupcakes on the seat of the car, went back inside to get something else…you know where this is going…and then got in the car and sat on them. After doing her frosting repair, she announced that the cupcakes were also good when served “pressed”. To this day, whenever we make Aunt Ruth’s cupcakes, we are reminded to improvise with good humored aplomb and slap some extra frosting on any of life’s challenges. I’ve helped the cupcakes kick up their heels with the additions of chocolate, nuts, sea salt, and even bourbon, if you’re so inclined! “Pressing” them is entirely up to you.
preparation
preparation time
25 mins
cook time
15
servings
15
calories
458
ingredients
1 cup butter room temp. and divided
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 3 large bananas)
1.5 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking soda
0.5 teaspoons cinnamon
1 MSR 7 salt
4 tablespoons bourbon (can substitute milk), divided
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract divided
1.75 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips divided
0.33 cup finely chopped nuts, walnuts
2 cup sifted confectioners sugar
0.5 teaspoons sea salt
directions
Cupcakes/Step 1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, 375 degrees for dark pans. Grease and flour cupcake pans or use liner papers. In a mixer on medium-low speed, cream 1/2 cup butter and sugar. Add egg (Aunt Ruth would like you to beat it before adding it, but I'm willing to be more lax on this point) and then bananas, blending thoroughly after each addition.
Cupcakes/Step 2
Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon and dash of salt together, add to banana mixture and blend.
Cupcakes/Step 3
Add 2 tablespoons bourbon or milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat well. Stir in 3/4 cup chocolate chips and walnuts.
Cupcakes/Step 4
Fill muffin cups and bake for 14-18 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool.
Frosting & Assembly
Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in microwave at 50% power and stir until smooth. In a mixer on medium speed, cream confectioner's sugar and 1/2 cup butter. Add 2 tablespoons bourbon or milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and then chocolate, beating well after each addition. If frosting is too thin, add powdered sugar as needed. If it is too thick, add milk as needed. Frost cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with sea salt.
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