Chunky Monkey

     Since the beginning of the year, I've had ideas in my head for cupcake recipes and flavors. Nothing too out of the ordinary in terms of ingredients but flavor combos that I love. My ideas were inspired by different things such as a cooking show on TV, a random picture, really yummy looking fruit at a fruit stand, cravings, etc. I came up with a Cupcake Test List that so far has about 10 different kinds of cupcake flavor combos that I am going to try out. I've written down the kind of cake and flavor of buttercream / frosting that I will pair with it, including how I will garnish and yes, even the color of cupcake liner that I want to use. I even have little sketches next to the names of the cupcakes of how I imagine them to turn out. So far I've tested 2 of the 10 and only one of them to completion. By this I mean I tested the recipe 3 times and the last two times the cupcake came out exactly the way I wanted it to...GJW. I've decided to do this for all my cupcake creations so I can be confident about sharing the recipes online.

     So my Chunky Monkey Cupcake (Banana cake w/ Nutella buttercream frosting) is the first one that has passed and met the GJW standard. I always liked the combo but I was actually inspired to bake a cupcake after watching my kid stuff his face with sliced bananas w/ nutella spread on top. It's a favorite snack of his. The cake in this cupcake has good banana flavor with actual chunks of banana all throughout. The nutella buttercream is to die for...or perfect for rolling around naked in. Here is the recipe.

Chunky Monkey Cupcake (Banana Nutella Cupcake)

Ingredients: (Makes about 18 cupcakes)

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour ( i use unbleached for just about all my baking)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp plus 1 pinch of sea salt

2 extra ripe bananas

1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp banana extract (optional)
1/2 scant cup of sugar
1/3 cup butter at room temp
1/4 cup of veg oil
2 eggs at room temp
1 ripe banana diced into 1/4 chunks
*Optional: finely chopped toasted hazelnuts about 1/2 cup for more texture in cake

*Optional for garnish: Banana chips

Directions:

1. preheat 350 degrees F, line cupcake pans
2. whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt (and chopped nuts if adding) in sep. bowl.
3. in a mixer: cream butter and sugar until fluffly, add oil until combined. Add egg one at a time beating for a few seconds after each one.
4. In separate bowl: mash the ripe bananas, add sour cream, vanilla and banana extracts and mix well.
5. With mixer on low, add the flour mixture and the banana mixture to the butter mixture alternating, beginning and ending w/ the flour. raise to med speed and mix until just combined.
6. Add diced bananas and fold w/ a spatula.
7. Fill liners 2/3 way full and bake checking w/ a tester after aout 20 min.
8. Cool completely before frosting. Garnish w/ brown and or yellow sprinkles and top w/ a banana chip.

Nutella Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

4 egg whites
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp water
1/4 cup nutella, slightly warmer than room temp.
3 sticks of butter at room temp
1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan fitted w/ candy thermometer bring water and sugar to boiling. Stir to dissolve sugar, have a heatproof bowl nearby.
2. Fit mixer w/ a whisk attatchment and put in egg whites and cream of tartar and whisk until combined.
3. As soon as syrup reaches 245 degrees, carefully pour into heatproof bowl
4. Slowly pour a couple tablespoons of syrup into egg whites away from the whisk. Mix for a few seconds. Add a little more and whisk for a few seconds until incorporated. Do this little by little until all of the syrup is added. Once all the syrup is poured in, raise speed to high and mix until mixture cools down to room temp, about 75 degrees (aobut 5 to 10 min).

5. Once cooled to room temp, add tablespoon chunks of butter one at a time with mixer on medium speed beating after each addition. If the mixture looks curdled, no worries, raise mixer speed to high and continue to add butter. Once all the butter is added, the frosting should be smooth. Add vanilla and nutella and mix unitl combined.

6. Pipe or slather onto cooled cupcakes or dip finger into frosting with a swiping motion and lick.

Enjoy!