Sunday, May 24, 2009

Banana Cupcakes

cupcakesbanana

I decided to participate in May's Cooking Club Challenge hosted by Food Network Canada because they were making Anna Olson's White Chocolate Banana Loaf! There were a few mixed opinions about this recipe, but I made it anyway because I'm not sure when FN Canada will have another baking recipe. Since this recipe uses cake and pastry flour, I thought it could work well as a cupcake and frosted them with Martha's honey-cinnamon frosting I saw on Hannah's gorgeous blog, Honey and Jam. Other than the frosting and omitting the white chocolate chips from the batter, I followed the recipe.

I have to admit that I was disappointed with these banana cupcakes, especially since my kitchen was smelling so yummy while they were baking. The texture was a little too springy and loose, but not in a fluffy kind of way. Maybe it's because I'm used to banana breads being dense yet tender and super moist. Even as a cupcake, the texture seemed kind of off. I think it might be the cake flour or baking powder because this recipe has a very similar ratio of ingredients as my favourite banana bread recipe from the Silver Palate Cookbook. I thought that the honey and cinnamon frosting complimented the banana flavour really well though! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for another baking recipe for June!

cupcakesbanana (5)

Banana White Chocolate Loaf

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups pastry flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup mashed banana
1/2 cup white chocolate, chopped, plus some for drizzling (I omitted)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 6 ½ x 3-inch loaf pan. (I used a muffin tin)
2. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with banana.
4. Fold in chopped white chocolate (I omitted). Scrape batter into pan and spread evenly (I used a large cookie scoop = 3 tbsp and got 12 cupcakes)
5. Bake for 30 minutes (it took me 15 minutes) until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
6. Allow to cool 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a plate.

Honey-Cinnamon Frosting

1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
(I added 2 tbsps of milk for a softer consistency)

1. Cream butter on medium high until there are no lumps and fluffy
2. Add sugar, cinnamon and honey on low. Continue beating on medium low speed until fluffy
3. Add milk by the tablespoon until desired consistency is reached

31 comments:

  1. That always stink when you have such high hopes for a recipe and then it turn out not as you expected. They still "look" beautiful

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  2. what a bummer they were somewhat disappointing, they definitely don't look it from the photos. i really have to get into my Silver Palate cookbook, i've had it for a long time and haven't made one thing out of it.

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  3. so, since I was ooohing as soon I read the title of your post, can I dig out my package of white chocolate chips and add them to the SP banana bundt cake? I've made banana bread with chocolate and with chocolate chips, but I bought those wcc's for some reason and never used them.

    I sometimes look at the Food Network Canada site and wish I could watch some of the shows...it's probably a grass-is-greener thing, but ours used to be better (I think).

    Oh, and I have 1/2 box of strawberries left from my salad so I am making those MUFFINS for breakfast tomorrow. Another ooooh.

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  4. Sorry to hear they did not turn out the way you were hoping. At least they look beautiful.

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  5. awww i'm sorry to hear that the muffin texture didn't turn out well. the cupcake looks fantastic, though! and i especially love the slice of banana as a garnish!

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  6. Steph,

    That first picture is so neat. It almost made me dizzy! I love it.


    ~Laura

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  7. Aww, sorry they didn't turn out like you were expecting - that's always so disappointing. They do look pretty though!

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  8. It drives me crazy when that happens - you have these expectations from a FoodTV celebrity and then when you're left flat it makes you go hmmmm. Just another case of looks sure are deceiving.

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  9. Steph,
    These are beautiful. You are getting so good at presentation and photographing. Banana, white chocolate, honey, cinnamon? Wow, how could you not want to make these.

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  10. I did not participate in this month's challenge. They still turn out beautiful. Love your frosting.

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  11. honey cinnamon frosting sounds amazing

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  12. Oh my, those cupcakes look and sound wonderful. White chocolate frosting sounds tasty!

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  13. Steph these sound and look good to me! I think you're being too harsh. Send me one and let me decide for myself? Love the frosting, be sure to pile it on. It doesn't need to look pretty! :)
    ~ingrid

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  14. Awww, I'm sorry that the texture of these cupcakes was off. That's no fun. Oh well! They certainly look amazing, as does that yummy frosting!!

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  15. Love the first photo! Too bad the texture was off. They sound like they'd be really good.

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  16. I sooo wanna lick the frosting off the screen! ;P

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  17. Pity you didn t like them much. They look so good !

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  18. Wow, they look absolutely delicious especially with the way you piped the frosting, so I am sorry you weren't so thrilled with them.

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  19. Beautiful cupcakes! And that frosting looks awesome!

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  20. Too bad you didn't really like these, I think I am going to give them a try though as I have two oripe bananas laying around and a good bar of white chocolate....

    Maybe we could meet up for a cup of coffee when I'm in Toronto??

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  21. I regret I saw the recipeonly now. I baked some banana bread thisweek end but I am not convinced by my recipe! Now I know where to go!
    See you

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  22. While I'm a big banana cake fan, I think I'm a bit more interested in the honey frosting. I mean how can you not like that? :)

    Your pics are looking great by the way. Those fancy decorating skills are paying off in spades :)

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  23. Sorry it didn't come out as good as it smelled, sure does look pretty though!

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  24. They look great, sorry the taste wasn't there for you!

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  25. drool! looks amazing, def. taking a little inspiration from these babies!

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  26. I love bananas, too.

    I have made variations with banana cake, banana bread, and banana cupcakes . . . they all require different ratios of ingredients. And what might work for breads will not work for cupcakes altogether.

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  27. Banana bread with white chocolate? Awesomeness! Now I will love it all the more.

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  28. sorry you were disappointed but these look so cute!

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  29. I'd never guess that they didn't have a cupcake texture--they look great. I love the sound of that frosting too :).

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  30. I'm sad they didn't quite work out, because I'm always on the lookout for more good banana recipes. I do want to try that frosting though!

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  31. I totally missed this post somehow! Sorry you didn't care for the end result, I hate when that happens!

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