Chocolated Covered Banana Cupcakes

Ever since my daughter's baby shower, I've been obsessed with making the perfect cupcake. I've become a food reality show junkie as well, watching DC Cupcakes, Cake Boss, and Fabulous Cakes. I love watching how they make wonderful and artistic creations and my youngest child covers her eyes when they try to get their creations into the delivery vehicle.


The family has loved that I've taken on this adventure, but unfortunately, it's been hard to keep them from eating the cupcakes before I even frost them and even harder to keep them around to take a photograph!


We were invited to a cookout at my husband's co worker's house this weekend, so I decided to use them as guinea pigs to try out my latest creation. I'm getting pretty good at making banana cupcakes, so I threw together a batch. I wanted to try out a new frosting and the reality shows that I've been watching have been using chocolate ganache frosting, so I really wanted to try it. This is the first time I've ever tasted this topping and I totally fell in love-I AM a chocolate fan.


Introducing, chocolate covered banana cupcakes...yum.

I had a lot of frosting left, so I whipped up a batch of strawberry cupcakes-who wouldn't love chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes?

Everyone loved them and the adults actually ate them all before the kids had a chance-wow, I've created cupcake monsters.

Make it:

Chocolate Covered Banana Cupcakes

Banana Cupcakes Recipe:

2.5 cups granulated white sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium sized bananas)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 regular-sized muffin cups with paper liners In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, bananas, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Add this to the dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Pour the batter into the muffin cups until about 3/4 full. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting:

8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon butter

Ganache: Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth.