Guest Post - Java Cupcake

Welcome everyone to the summer series of guest posts at Sugar Daze. I wanted to invite some of my favorite cupcake bakers from around the globe to share a few recipes while I'm away and I'm very excited to introduce you to them. Each Saturday through August 20, you'll find a new guest post here. Today Betsy of Java Cupcake (a Washington native recently relocated to Germany) shares a delicious banana cupcake recipe with us. Then it's on to Greece with Liz of Liz's Cupcakes on August 6. Carrie of Fields of Cake and Other Good Stuff in Maine drops by on August 13. And lastly we'll hear from Liana of Star Bakery in the UK as our final guest on August 20. Thank you ladies for sharing these scrumptious recipes with us and without further ado, here's Betsy....


Hello fans and friends of Sugar Daze! I am so excited to be doing a guest blog post for you today! My name is Betsy Eves and I’m the owner of the cupcake blog, JavaCupcake.com. Along with my friend Jenn, we write about our adventures in cupcake baking and of course cupcake eating! Currently, the Army has moved me and my family to Germany where we get to travel, try new food and dessert, and of course search for European cupcakes! I also write for the #1 cupcake blog in the world, Cupcakes Take the Cake! So in my world, it’s all cupcakes, all the time! You can read more about my cupcake adventures on my blog or you can find me on Facebook or Twitter!

When Cat asked me to do a guest post for you, I just knew I had to come up with something fantastic. I took a recipe I already had on my blog for banana cupcakes and doctored them up to make them even better. What I had before was awesome… but these, these are AMAZING!!!


These are a banana cupcake with chopped mixed nuts and chocolate chips topped with a rich cream cheese, peanut butter and honey frosting, more chopped nuts and a banana chip. It’s like a flavor explosion in your mouth! I hope you all enjoy it!

Tschüss!

JavaCupcake’s Banana Goodness Cupcakes
Makes 3 dozen cupcakes

Cupcakes:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
5 large ripe bananas, mashed
4 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp banana extract

1 cup finely chopped mixed nuts
1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line cupcake pan with liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. In the well whisk together the melted butter, mashed bananas, eggs and vanilla extract. Continue with a spatula to combine the wet with the flour until incorporated. Blend only until incorporated. Do not over mix.
4. Gently fold in the nuts and chocolate chips.
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1-8oz. package of cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup peanut butter (creamy/smooth, not fresh ground)
½ cup honey
5-6 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
Mixed nuts, finely chopped for garnish
Banana chips, for garnish

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter, peanut butter, honey and cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated.
2. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
3. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and combine on low speed until incorporated.
4. Pipe frosting with a large star tip, sprinkle with chopped nuts and top with a banana chip.