Chocolate Covered Banana Cupcakes

Banana Cupcake Recipe:

6 ripened bananas

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup sour cream

4 eggs

1/2 cup (one stick) butter (softened)

4 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp vanilla

Mash bananas; mix in sugar, eggs, milk, sour cream, vanilla, butter. In separate bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Combine. 

Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Makes 4 dozen.

Chocolate Frosting Recipe:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter (softened)
5 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups (12oz) chocolate chips
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp meringue powder
2 tbsp milk

Mix butter, 4 cups of sugar, cocoa powder, and meringue powder. Melt chocolate and pour into the frosting. Mix well. Let the frosting cool back to room temperature, or place in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes. Add the remaining cup of powdered sugar and beat until fully combined. If needed, add milk to thin the consistency, or more powdered sugar to thicken. 

Orange Creamsicle Cake

An orange layer cake with vanilla butter cream frosting and fondant decorations.

The Orange Cake Recipe:

8 eggs

4 cups flour

3 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp salt

2 2/3 tbsp baking powder

1 large orange (zested and squeezed)

1 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp Tang orange drink mix 

Combine eggs, sugar, oil, orange zest and juice, extract; in separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Mix and equally divide batter into three greased 9" round cake pans. Bake 30 minutes at 350° F. 

Let cakes cool and trim the tops for even stacking. 

The Butter Cream Frosting:

4 sticks butter (room temp)

1 pound confectioner's sugar

2-3 tbsp milk

2 vanilla beans, scraped

Mix butter, vanilla and sugar, add milk if needed. 

Dulce de Leche Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

The Cupcake Recipe:

4 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups whole milk, room temperature
8 egg whites, room temperature
2 stick butter, at room temperature
3 cups sugar
3 vanilla beans, scraped
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Combine flour, baking powder, salt in medium bowl. In separate bowl, combine milk and egg whites. In third bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla bean seeds(scrapings) until smooth. Slowly incorporate the egg/milk mixture and the dry ingredients, alternating between each, until both are completely mixed in. Add the vanilla extract.

Fill cupcake tins 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20-24 minutes at 350° F. 

The Dulce de Leche (Caramel Sauce):

2 14oz cans of sweetened condensed milk

Place both unopened cans in pot of water ensuring that the water covers the cans. Boil for two hours over medium high heat, adding water to the pot every twenty or thirty minutes to keep the water level above the cans. Let cool for at least 45 minutes.

The Butter Cream Frosting:

4 sticks of butter, room tempurature
2 pounds of powdered sugar
2 vanilla beans, scraped
3 tablespoons of milk
1 1/2 tsp meringue powder

Mix butter until smooth. Add the vanilla scrapings, meringue powder, and 1/4 of the powdered sugar. Pour the milk into a glass or bowl and put the shells of the vanilla beans in with it so the milk can get off any excess seeds left on the plant. Mix and continue adding powdered sugar

 Fill Piping bag, fitted with a long attachment, with the caramel.

Push into the tops of the cupcakes and squeeze out for 2-3 seconds. Continue to extrude while removing the tool from the cakes in order not to leave a messy hole in the top. The attachment will need to be cleaned every so often, as crumbs and pieces will accumulate to the sticky surface. Just run the tip under hot water and wipe away the schmutz. Dry with towel before returning to cakes.  

Fill second pastry bag, affixed with a star attachment, with the frosting.

Pipe a ring of circles around the outer edge of the cupcake. Continue piping, but make smaller circles in a tighter ring on top of the previous row. Come to the center and squeeze a peak in the middle.