I am a banana fan and that means I am a peanut butter and banana fan. I have one every morning, almost without fail. And I even make my own peanut butter now. So I think these cupcakes from Coffee and Quinoa might just qualify as breakfast. So much better than a breakfast muffin!
Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Banana Buttercream
Makes 10-12 cupcakes
Ingredients
For the peanut butter cupcakes:
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2/3 cup milk (I used plain unsweetened almond milk)
For the banana buttercream:
- 1 ripe banana, mashed (not overripe!)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 3 cups powdered sugar
To top (optional):
- Peanut butter
- Finely chopped toasted peanuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and place liners in cupcake tins.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter, peanut butter and brown sugar for several minutes until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- In a separate medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the peanut butter mixture, alternating with the almond milk, beating well after each addition.
- Spoon batter into lined cupcake tins, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out with moist crumbs, 18-20 minutes. Remove and cool completely before frosting.
- While cupcakes cool, make frosting. With a hand mixer (or stand mixer if you have one!), cream together the banana, butter, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Beat in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until you have a creamy and spreadable frosting.
- Once cupcakes are completely cool, spread each with a thin layer of peanut butter, about a 1/2 teaspoon (optional). Spread or pipe with icing and sprinkle immediately with crushed peanuts, if using.
