Banana Cream Cupcakes

I have a confession to make. I do not like cupcakes. I know, I know. It practically makes me un-American. Maybe I don’t like cupcakes because I don’t like cake. Don’t get me wrong–if cake is present, I will most likely eat it. But if I’m going to ruin my vow to eschew sugar, I would much rather cheat by eating cookies or brownies. For some reason, I’ve never found the texture of cake, or cupcakes, to be satisfying. They are either too crumbly and dry, or too spongy.

So last week when I was at church after doing a presentation on a fashion program for the Young Women, I fully intended to skip the treats. My husband, who was also there, never skips the treats. He took a cupcake. I decided to have just one bite of his cupcake. Then I went a got a whole cupcake for myself because it was the most delicious cupcake I had ever eaten. Moist and delicious with a pudding-based frosting that is to-die for, I had to have the recipe. And I had to share it with you. It is the cupcake to end all cupcakes. Not to mention that it features the flavors of my most favorite dessert, banana cream pie.

The batter uses a simple cake mix with the addition of real bananas and banana pudding. And the frosting is a beautiful, fluffy mix of banana pudding and whipped cream. These cupcakes are easy and oh so delicious. Take it from a former cupcake hater. (Well, not really a “hater.” More like a “disliker.” Is that even a word?) Just make these cupcakes, o.k. You’ll be so glad you did.

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Banana Cream Cupcakes

Author: Melissa Howell

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

• 1 box white cake mix
• 1/2 cup 1 stick butter, melted
• 3 eggs
• 2 ripe bananas mashed
• 1 3.4 oz. box instant banana pudding
• 1 cup water

For the Frosting

• 1 3.4 oz. box instant banana pudding
• 1 cup milk or half and half
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 8 oz. container whipped topping
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper liners. (This recipe will make slightly more than 24 cupcakes). Pour cake mix into a large mixing bowl. Then add melted butter, eggs, pudding mix, mashed bananas, and water. Mix well. Use a large cookie scoop to place batter into the paper liners. Liners should be just over half-full. Bake for 18-24 minutes until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Cool completely on cooling racks.
2. For the frosting, mix pudding and milk (or half and half) in a bowl until slightly thickened. Mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Fold in the whipped topping. Chill for at least 30 minutes. To easily frost the cupcakes, cut a hole in the corner of a plastic sandwich bag and fill the bag about half-way full of frosting. Pipe onto cupcakes in a circular pattern starting at the outside of the cupcakes. If desired, garnish with crushed vanilla wafers. Refrigerate cupcakes until ready to eat.