Browned Butter Banana Cupcakes

With a few over-ripe bananas, I looked for recipe alternatives to Banana Bread, since I’ve baked a half dozen banana breads in the past month. I found a few recipes on Pinterest and combined to created this banana cupcake with a honey cream frosting.

Servings: 24 cupcakes

Fresh
1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, room temperature, divided
2 eggs, room temperature
3 to 4 overripe bananas, about 1-1/2 cups mashed
3/4 cup buttermilk, divided
1/2 cup plus 1-1/2 tsp. honey
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

Pantry
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract, divided
1-1/4 cups Confectioners’ sugar

Brown butter
Place 1 cup (2 sticks) butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Melt butter and reduce heat to medium-low. Butter will foam and sputter, continue cooking until butter is browned, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Check on the butter frequently to prevent burning.

Make batter
Preheat oven to 375 degrees-F. Strain the melted browned butter through a sieve and discard the solid browned bits. Place butter in the work bowl of a stand mixer. Add granulated sugar, 1/2 cup honey, and 1 tsp. vanilla extract to the butter and mix with the paddle attachment for 2 to 3 minutes or until well combined. Add eggs one at a time. Add mashed bananas and stir until combined. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, combine with a whisk. Alternate adding dry ingredients with 1/2 cup buttermilk to the stand mixer, stirring on medium low, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.

Bake cupcakes
Line 24 cupcakes with paper liners. Spoon batter evenly into the cupcake pan, approximately 3/4 full. Bake for 8 minutes then rotate pans and bake for an addition 8 to 9 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pans on cooling racks for five minutes. Transfer cupcakes to cooling racks to cool completely.

Make icing
While cupcakes cool,  combine remaining 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cream cheese, remaining 1-1/2 tsp. honey, and remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk in a large bowl. Beating with a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth. Slowly add Confectioners’ sugar while whisking on low. Transfer to a large icing bag and place in the refrigerator for 5 minutes.

Decorate and serve
When cupcakes are cooled, pipe icing on top of cupcakes and decorate as desired.  Store in the refrigerator if not eating immediately.

 

Print This Post Print This Post

Comments are closed.