Every time I see bananas or other fruits used in baking scrumptious things, I believe that makes the baked good a “fruit” and therefore almost healthy.  Oh, how the mind of a baker works sometimes!  Any excuse I can find to eat a cupcake is a good excuse.  Thanks to our friends at foodfanatic for this faux healthy cupcake recipe.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 3 large bananas, mashed
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
For the Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 salted butter stick, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2-1 teaspoon powdered sugar
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Line 24 muffin tins with paper liners.
- In a small bowl, combine mashed bananas and lemon juice. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking soda.
- In the bowl of your mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined.
- Add vanilla to the buttermilk.
- With your mixer on low speed, add your flour and buttermilk alternately, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
- Fold in mashed bananas.
- Fill prepared muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Let cool completely on cooling rack.
Prepare frosting:
- In the bowl of your mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on medium speed until smooth and combined.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add powdered sugar and cinnamon.
- Continue mixing on low until just combined.
- Increase speed to medium high and beat for about a minute, until fluffy.
- Frost cooled cupcakes.
 