These Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with Whiskey Caramel Frosting sound like lots of different flavors, but they just work. The cupcakes are made with boxed cupcake mix with the additional of smashed banana. Then the cupcakes are topped with a whiskey caramel frosting. It is a simple recipe, and one that has received rave reviews from those who tried them. Cake mixes are great, and if you add homemade frosting you can make something memorable.
My husband, aka Taste Tester Number One, helped to come up with the idea for these cupcakes. He suggested the chocolate banana combination, and I love any excuse to make whiskey caramel. The flavors of these cupcakes balanced well, and we could taste the chocolate, bananas, and the whiskey caramel sauce.
Cupcakes are my favorite way to say thank you. These days it seems that people forget to say thank you, so actually remembering to do so is more meaningful. Every couple of weeks I sit down and write thank you notes. If I see the person frequently, I think that cupcakes are better than a mailed note. This batch of cupcakes was made for a helpful coworker.
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: 30 cupcakes
You will need:
1 box Chocolate Cake Mix - plus the ingredients it calls for
2 or 3 soft Bananas
3 tablespoons Milk
For the Frosting:
4 tablespoons Butter
½ cup Dark Brown Sugar
⅓ cup Whiskey (I use Templeton Rye)
2 ⅓ cups Whipping Cream
2 cups Powdered Sugar
Step 1:
Heat oven for 350 degrees. Follow the directions on the box of cupcakes, mixing the ingredients together in a large bowl.
Step 2:
In another bowl, mash together the banana and the milk with a fork. Then stir into the cake batter.
Step 3:
Pour the batter into a cupcake pan filled with paper liners. Fill the cupcake liners until they are ¾ of the way full. Then bake the cupcakes for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcakes comes out clean.
Step 4:
While the cupcakes cook, get to work on the frosting. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Then add the sugar. Whisk together. Once melted, add the whisky and ⅓ cup cream. Whisk together and let bubble and reduce for 5 minutes. Then pour the sauce into a bowl and place it in the fridge to let cool.
Step 5:
It is important to let the whiskey caramel cool - otherwise it could make the whipped cream separate. Once cooled, make the frosting. Use a mixer to whip the cream. Once soft peaks form, begin adding the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time. You want the frosting to be thick enough to spread on the cupcakes. Then add the whiskey caramel and mix until just combined.
Step 6:
Let the cupcakes cool completely before you frost them. Refrigerate once frosted, or serve immediately.
