Banana Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

My first cupcakes! I'm still on the banana kick and wanted to make cupcakes for my husband's coworkers. I would like to say thank you to CREAM PUFFS IN VENICE for this delicious recipe for the frosting. I didn't use the cupcake recipe however, I used a basic banana cupcake recipe.

Banana cupcakes: makes 12
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
* 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas), plus 1 whole banana, for garnish (optional)
* 2 large eggs
* 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Make a well in center of flour mixture. In well, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to incorporate flour mixture (do not overmix). Dividing evenly, spoon batter into muffin cups.
3. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 min. Frost, serve, and enjoy!


For the Frosting: (thanks to Cream Puffs in Venice)


First the caramel sauce:

* 2 cups whipping cream
* 1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
* 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter


Bring cream, brown sugar and butter to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer sauce until reduced to 1 3/4 cups, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Before using, rewarm over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.)

When cooled, add caramel sauce to the frosting:

1 pckg. cream cheese (8 ounces), at room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup caramel sauce
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup icing sugar

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together at high speed until light (about 2 minutes).

Lower the speed and add the vanilla extract and caramel sauce. Mix well.

With the speed on low, add the icing sugar until incorporated and then increase the speed to high and whip the frosting for 2 minutes.




I don't have the fanciest baking equiment so I used my son's medicine dropper to apply little caramel dots to the cupcakes from the leftover caramel sauce.

My verdict: I thought that banana and caramel would be a fantastic combination, but I have to say I was slightly disappointed. I think the cupcake needed to be a little bit sweeter to go with the cream cheese frosting. Otherwise they were a big hit!