Ingredients
Cupcakes:
• 80ml Caramel treat
• 4 Bananas, large, over-ripe
• 100g Butter, softened
• 90g Castor Sugar
• 90g Muscovado sugar
• 2 Eggs, jumbo
• 225g Self raising Flour, sifted
• 5ml Vanilla essence
• Pinch Salt
• Extra Caramel Treat for filling
Frosting:
• 115g Butter
• 280g Icing sugar
• 230g Cream cheese
• Pinch of cinnamon.
Dried banana (optional):
• Banana, slightly under-ripe
• 60ml Granulated sugar
• 60ml Water
• Squeeze of lemon juice
Instructions
Cupcakes:
• Preheat oven to: 180ºC. Line a muffin pan with paper cupcake cases.
• Peel and mash the bananas and place into a large bowl along with the butter and sugars.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the banana, butter and sugars until very light and creamy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Mix in the caramel treat and vanilla and then mix in the flour and salt to form a smooth batter.
• Divide the mixture evenly to quarter-fill the cupcake cases. Place a little dollop of extra caramel treat into each cupcake and then top up with remaining cake mixture until ¾’s full.
• Bake at 180C until well risen, golden and firm to the touch.
• Remove and cool, before frosting and decorating.
Frosting:
• Beat butter until soft and creamy.
• Add sifted icing sugar a spoon at a time until all mixed in and smooth.
• Beat in the cream cheese and add cinnamon to taste.
• Spoon a little frosting onto each cupcake.
• Decorate with a few slices of dried banana.
Dried banana (optional):
• Place the sugar, lemon juice and water into a small saucepan. Set over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Boil for 1 minute and then remove from the heat. Allow to cool to tepid.
• Peel and slice the banana into 3mm slices on the diagonal. Dip each slice of banana into the sugar syrup and then place onto a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper.
• Place into a cool oven (80ºC) and leave for a few hours to dry out.