Cupcakes
2 1/2 Cups All-purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
12 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter or Blue Bonnet at room temp.
2 1/2 Cups Sugar
6 Eggs
1 Cup Plus 2 Tablespoons Butter Milk or can use Regular Milk
11/3 Cups Mashed Ripe Bananas
Filling:
1 Lb. Strawberries, hulled and diced small
2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
12 oz. Crushed Pineapple, drained
Frosting:
16 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 Cup (2 sticks) Butter, softened
1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
3 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
Ganache:
8 oz. Chocolate, chopped
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Tablspoon Light Corn Syrup
Garnish:
Multi-colored Sprinkles
Maraschino Cherries
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 350° F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt; whisk together and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium low and add in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the mashed banana until well combined. With the mixer on low speed alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing only until just incorporated.
Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 to ¾ full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-22 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the strawberry filling, combine the strawberries and confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Toss well, smashing slightly with a fork. Allow the berries to soften in the liquid at least 20-30 minutes.
To fill the cupcakes, cut a small cone out of the center of each cupcake with a paring knife . the excess .cake can be throwen away or ate.Add a teaspoon or two of the strawberry filling to the center of each cupcake. Top with a teaspoon or two of the crushed pineapple, filling to the top of the cupcake.
To make the frosting, using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat just to combine. Slowly add sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe a swirl of the whipped cream onto each filled cupcake, covering the filling. Transfer the filled and frosted cupcakes to the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.
To make the ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate; let stand 1-2 minutes. Whisk together until a thick, smooth ganache forms. Blend in the corn syrup. Let stand at room temperature at least 10 minutes so the ganache is not hot.
To finish the cupcakes, pour a spoonful of the ganache over the frosting topping of each cupcake. Garnish with sprinkles and maraschino cherries before the glaze sets. Chill the assembled cupcakes until ready to serve.
