Banana Split Cupcakes

The banana and chocolate combination, yum-o! I came up with these cupcakes while imagining everything I love about the banana split, the sweet and simple vanilla ice cream smothered in thick chocolate sauce, polished off with sweetened whipped cream and crunchy nuts. These are wonderful topped with fresh banana slices, but to make them shout banana split even more, they could be topped with maraschino cherries (unfortunately I didn't have any but they were amazingly delicious with fresh banana slices as well). So, take your pick of final garnish, cherry or banana. Also, feel free to throw everything on there you love on a banana split, change up the nut choice, add sprinkles or toffee bits and just have fun with it! That's the amazing thing about cooking, it's an art, you can make it exactly as you wish!

Banana Slit Cupcakes

Yields 16 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 recipe banana cupcakes, found on my site here

3/4 cup chopped pecans or toffee bits

16 maraschino cherries, or 1 banana sliced

Chocolate Ganache:

2/3 cup milk chocolate chips

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Sweetened Whipped Cream:

1 1/3 cups heavy whipping cream

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Cook cupcakes according to directions (minus, vanilla pastry cream) and let cool 30 minutes. For ganache, place chocolate chips in a medium mixing bowl, set aside. In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium heat bringing just to a boil. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate chips, whisk until smooth. Allow ganache to cool slightly before pouring over cupcakes. Pour about 1/2 tablespoon full over over each cupcake. Allow to cool. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl with and electric mixer, whip whipping cream until soft peaks form. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla and whip until stiff peaks form (keep whipped cream refrigerated until serving). Just before serving pipe sweetened whipped cream over cooled chocolate covered cupcakes and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Garnish each cupcake with a maraschino cherry or a fresh banana slice. Store cupcakes in the refrigerator, they will keep there shape about 3 hours before the cream starts to separate.

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Banana Cream Cupcakes

All you banana cream pie lovers out there, this cupcake is for you! Being a light fluffy banana cupcake topped with simple vanilla pastry cream and a fresh banana slice, this delightful cupcake mimics all the flavors of a slice of silky banana cream pie. This cupcake is so easy to make! Normally I don't believe in using many packaged ingredients, such as a boxed pudding mix... but this is the exception. I have made this cupcake using a homemade pastry cream and using this version of pastry cream. The instant vanilla pudding version. Surprisingly I actually like this version better. It is creamier, slightly sweeter and it just fits this cupcake better. Trust me, this is the exception to using a packaged mix. You won't be disappointed with these cupcakes! They are on my list of top 5 favorite cupcakes.

Banana Cupcakes

Yields 16 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 large bananas)

1 tsp lemon juice

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 recipe easy vanilla pastry cream, recipe follows

2 bananas, sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. In a small bowl mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy about 3 - 4 minutes. Mix in egg and vanilla. Add mashed bananas and stir until combine. Mix in the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk. Pour 1/4 cup mixture into greased muffin cups or paper muffin cups. Bake for 22-24 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and let muffins cool in muffin pan 5 minutes, then remove from muffin pan and let cool 30 minutes on a wire cooling rack. Pipe vanilla pastry cream on top of muffins and refrigerate until ready to serve. Place banana slices on top immediately before serving.

Easy Vanilla Pastry Cream

Ingredients:

2 (3.5 oz) boxes instant vanilla pudding mix

2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup whole milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together all ingredients about 2 minutes until very thick. Refrigerate mixture about 30 minutes until fully set. Stir once more to remove clumps.

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Best Buttermilk Pancakes with Fresh Raspberry Syrup

The buttermilk pancake. There's nothing quite like it. Its simple yet sophisticated. It can be dressed up anyway you like. My personal favorite is with fresh decadent raspberry syrup. These buttermilk pancakes find there way to my kitchen table on a weekly basis. They are tender and light on the inside, yet crisp and golden on the outside where the steaming butter has clung to its edges. An added bonus, they are healthy and satisfying! They are heaven on earth. I think these pictures may agree =). I often think of fluffy clouds as I'm eating whipped cream and here is the comparison in picture form...

Oat Flour Buttermilk Pancakes

Yields 12-14 pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup oat flour*

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups buttermilk

3/4 cup milk

2 eggs

2 Tbsp butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat griddle to 325 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, sift together oat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl combine buttermilk, milk, egg and melted butter. Stir in dry ingredients. Pour 1/3 cup mixture onto buttered preheated griddle. Flip pancake when bubbles start to appear on surface and bottom is golden. Serve topped with your favorite syrup and butter or whipped cream.

*Oat flour can be purchased in the health food section of most super-markets. You can also make your own by grinding 1 1/3 cups whole oats in a food processor for about 2 minutes, until it is very fine (which is what I do if I run out of oat flour =).

Fresh Raspberry Syrup

Yields about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh raspberries (frozen can also be used)

1/2 cup cold water

2 tsp cornstarch

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes stirring constantly. Strain seeds through a fine mesh strainer. Serve warm.

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Ultimate Caramel Apples

Its that time of year! Caramel apple season! I have been making these for many years and the caramel recipe listed is my go to recipe whenever I need caramel. It is melt in your mouth delicious! The smell of boiling caramel is intoxicating! I couldn't wait to eat these! They are wonderful for gifts. I usually wrap them individually in clear gift bags and tie them with festive ribbon. The topping options of the caramel apple are endless. My personal favorite is cookies and cream (white chocolate with oreos) but I also love the following combinations: white chocolate with butterfinger, white chocolate with macadamia nut, chocolate with almond, chocolate with peanut, chocolate with marshmallow, white chocolate with sprinkles (most kids favorite) and chocolate with shortbread (aka the twix caramel apple). There are too many choices! I even thought a rice krispie treat caramel apple would be amazing I just didn't have time to make it. Make sure you have a chance to make these this Halloween season, because after all who's Halloween favorite isn't a tantalizing caramel apple!

Caramel Apples

Ingredients:

• 10 small Granny Smith apples
• 1 recipe caramel, adapted from here
• 1 (12 oz) bag milk chocolate or white chocolate chips
• Assorted toppings: ie oreos crushed, butterfingers crushed, macadamia nuts chopped, almonds chopped, sprinkles, marshmellows chopped
• 10 craft sticks
• 
  

Directions:

Wash and dry the apples. Insert 1 craft stick into each caramel and place the apples on a greased jellyroll pan in the refridgerator. Cook caramel according to directions (note: I only heat my caramel to 239 degrees and immediately remove it from heat) then carefully pour caramel into a medium saucepan and let cool exactly 20 minutes. Carefully dip apples, swirling each side to coat. Remove excess caramel from bottom by scraping along the edge of the saucepan. Tilt apples upside down and swirl several seconds, allowing caramel more time to set before it all flows to the bottom. Now immediately return dipped apple to greased jellyroll pan and refridgerate. Working quickly, do this same step with each apple. Once caramel coated apples are cooled, begin melting chocolate. Do this either over a double boiler or in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. With a cake frosting tool or with a butter knife, coat apples with chocolate. Sprinkle desired topping over chocolate coated apple before the chocolate cools. Return to the refridgerator for chocolate to cool completely. When ready to eat let caramel apples sit at room temperature about 10 minutes.

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