milk chocolate banana mini egg cupcakes
Easter intensifies.
My brain feels like mushed banana today. It wasn’t a particularly stressful day, but maybe I was so go-go-go that I’ve forgotten how to human and nothing around me makes sense. I might honestly have to get up in the middle of writing this and take a walk because blarhghughuhejg.
But, I’m gonna try to see it through before I get up and give up. Forgive me if I don’t write cohesive sentences.
I’m really enjoying springtime baking despite the aversion I felt towards sweets after the holidays. Spring baking is just different: it’s festive, but not pushy, and not necessarily tied to Easter even though the theme circulates around the holiday. Whereas, holiday baking is all about entertaining, putting together a goodie box for friends, fighting folks in the grocery store for that last stick of butter. Well, maybe not so much the last part – but also, maybe the last part.
I don’t know, but there’s something more carefree about this season, and you can throw cute little chocolate eggs on baked goods! I birthed these Milk Chocolate Banana Mini Egg Cupcakes out of necessity: I had some browning bananas that needed a use, so naturally, a new banana recipe was necessary.
Each cupcake is extremely moist, thanks to the mashed banana and some Greek yogurt, and the milk chocolate frosting is light and fluffy and offers just enough chocolate flavor without fully taking over the nanner. Top each off with some little eggs, and you’ve got a dessert worthy of any spring tablescape.
Ba na na na Ba na na na ‘NANA
Banana cupcakes is as cupcakes does. That wasn’t proper English. Oh well.
You need about 1 1/2 cups of mashed banana, which for me was three big fuckers sitting in my fruit basket. You may need four if your nanas are smaller. Squish them real good with a potato masher or a fork, whatever’s easiest. Some chunks are okay, just try to size down on the bigger ones.
Next, mix up the batter. Start with some canola oil (or any vegetable oil, coconut oil works too), sugar, and brown sugar, then beat in a couple eggs, vanilla, whole milk Greek yogurt, and those bananas. Add in your dry shit, including some cinnamon and cloves for a bit of spice. Stir until just combined. Don’t overmix that ish.
Line your cupcake tins with muffin liners. I got 15 cupcakes out of my batter, but you may get anywhere from 14-16. Fill up each tin about 2/3 of the way to the top, then bake em up for 22-25 minutes. Cool a little in the pans, then move to a wire rack to finish cooling. No good frosting warm cupcakes, unless you want them to sweat off their sweet caps.
Milk in my Cocoa…Fluff?
I don’t always love milk chocolate, but when I do, I use it in fucking everything at once.
Another thing that brought these cuppycakes to life was a half-used bag of milk chocolate chips, which ended up being the perfect amount for the buttercream. Melt the chips in the microwave and let them cool for a few minutes.
While the chocolate chills out, whip up the base of the frosting: butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, and heavy cream. Slowly stream in the slightly cooled chocolate into the frosting and continue mixing until evenly combined.
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with your favorite tip and pipe onto the cupcakes. Or, just slap an offset spatula into the bowl and slather each cupcake that way. I do that when I’m feeling lazy. Stick a couple mini eggs into the frosting, maybe a little flower too just for fun (don’t eat the flower unless it’s actually an edible flower).
You can make these guys up to three days ahead of time if you wish. I usually store mine in the fridge because humidity, but if you’re in a drier climate, at room temp well-covered is good. I find that desserts using fruits don’t do as well in Florida unless I refrigerate them – they tend to get a lil soggy.
Oh, and if you only have dark chocolate on hand, that’d honestly be dope, too. Any kind of chocolate and banana is just a match made in my personal heaven.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Easter treats-ters:
Easter Bunny Oatmeal Cookie Bars
Lucky’s Charmed Vanilla Doughnuts
Spiced Carrot Sheet Cake with Bourbon Vanilla Bean Frosting
milk chocolate banana mini egg cupcakes
Ingredients
- 3 large bananas, very ripe (1 1/2 cups mashed)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 eggs, at room teperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 bag Cadbury mini eggs, assorted colors
milk chocolate buttercream
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 3 – 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 14-16 muffin tin slots with parchment or foil liners.
- In a large bowl, beat the sugars and oil until combined, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla extract, Greek yogurt, and mashed banana. Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Do not overmix.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling 2/3 of the way to the top. Bake for 22-25 minutes until the centers are set and an inserted toothpick emerges clean. Cool 5 minutes in the pans, then move to a wire rack. Cool completely.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the milk chocolate for 1 minute. Stir until the bowl is no longer warm, then microwave 30 seconds, if needed, until completely smooth. Let cool 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and heavy cream on high speed until fluffy. With the mixer running, stream in the milk chocolate, whipping until combined.
- Pipe or frost the buttercream onto each cupcake. Decorate with 2-3 Cadbury mini eggs, any color you wish!
