Ingredients
Banana Cupcakes
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup pure cane white sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup banana, mashed (2-3 bananas)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup sour milk*
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- *baker's note: to make sour milk, whisk 2 tsp white vinegar into 1/2 cup whole milk and set aside for about 5 minutes or until it looks absolutely disgusting
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup chocolate stout (ahem, Shiner Birthday Beer)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 Tbsp cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup chocolate stout ganache
- 1 shot espresso (or 2 Tbsp very strong coffee), room temperature
Directions
- Banana Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy.
- Mix in eggs, mashed banana, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
- Add in milk and the remaining ingredients, alternating between wet and dry. Stir just until combined.
- Spoon into prepared cupcake tin and bake for 12-15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Set on a wire rack to cool.
- After they've cooled, cut a little hole in the top of each one for the filling.
- Eat the parts you cut out (you know, quality assurance and all).
- Chocolate Stout Ganache
- Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, heat chocolate stout and cream until just before boiling, stirring constantly.
- Pour hot cream/beer over chocolate and whisk until smooth.
- Refrigerate mixture for approximately 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- You're going for the consistency of thick frosting. If you don't have time to do the fridge thing (I think it's easier so I can work on other things while it cools), you can put the bowl down in a larger bowl of ice and whisk away until you get the consistency you want.
- Fill your cupcakes with the ganache. It's easiest to use a piping bag. And you'll have some left over—save it—you'll need it for the frosting (and for tasting).
- Tip: Use any remaining ganache to garnish the tops of the cupcakes (you can just pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to thin it back out to drizzling consistency).
- Coffee and Chocolate Stout Buttercream Frosting
- Beat butter and cream cheese until really fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar and salt until thoroughly combined.
- Stir in ganache and coffee.
- Beat until well-combined.
- Frost the cupcakes. Devour!
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