Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

There was a very Bard-y birthday this past Friday and Corcoran Street Kitchen had to get serious about a special birthday treat for one of our favorite neighbors. I knew I wanted to make cupcakes because we were headed out for a night of cover band enjoyment and I didn’t want the hassle of slicing up a big cake. Josh really raved about the Hummingbird cake that I made a few months ago, so I figured a banana cupcake with cream cheese frosting would make sense. I like walnuts and bananas together so I topped them off with maple-glazed walnuts. What’s not to like? I had a blast at the party and I hope that J. Bard enjoyed his birthday cupcakes and his birthday night out.
Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Cupcakes adapted from a Martha recipe
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick soft room temperature butter
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (5 very ripe bananas)
2 eggs
Frosting:
8 oz package of cream cheese
1/2 stick butter
4 cups confectioner sugar
Walnuts:
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup maple syrup

1. In your mixer (or by hand), cream together butter and sugar for a few minutes until well combined, light, and fluffy.
2. Slowly add eggs and continue to beat until this mixture is light and fluffy.3. In another bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture until combined. Don’t over mix this.
4. Add the mashed up bananas and mix until combined.
5. Spoon into a muffin pan that’s been lined with muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until only slightly browned. You want them to be super moist.
6. Cool the cupcakes completely on a rack before frosting.
7. Make the frosting by whipping soft cream cheese and butter in your mixer with the whisk attachment until well combined.
8. Slowly add confectioner sugar until you have a nice frosting consistency. I used the whole 4 cups, but just give it a little taste after about 3 1/2 to see where you are.
9. To make the maple walnuts, put walnuts and maple syrup in a small pot and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes.10. Spread them out on a plate and allow them to cool completely in the fridge and be cold before sprinkling on top. You don’t want hot nuts melting your frosting.11. Transfer the frosting to a large plastic freezer bag and snip off one bottom corner. Use this as a pastry bag to pipe frosting onto cupcakes (of course you can use a knife to frost the cupcakes by hand.
12. Sprinkle with maple walnuts.
13. Serve them up and sing your heart out!