Spiced Banana Cupcakes with Apricot Frosting (Hot Cross Bun Cupcakes

• Vegetarian

• Produce

  • 325 g Banana
  • 5 oz Raisins

• Refrigerated

  • 3 Eggs, large

• Condiments

  • 9 oz Apricot jam
  • 3 heaping tbsp Apricot jam

• Baking & Spices

  • 1/2 tsp Allspice
  • 8 3/4 oz Ap flour
  • 1 tsp Baking soda
  • 3 1/2 oz Brown sugar, packed light or dark
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon, ground
  • 1/4 tsp Cloves
  • 3 1/2 oz Granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 20 oz White chocolate

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 1/4 cup Vegetable oil

• Dairy

  • 5/8 cup Butter, unsalted
  • 1/4 cup Milk
  • 1/3 cup Whipping cream

• Liquids

  • 1 tsp Water

Found on theflavorbender.com

Description

Ingredients

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 3.5 oz / 100g packed light or dark brown sugar
• 3.5 oz / 100g granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 325g / 11.5 oz (1½ cups) mashed banana - about 3 large very ripe bananas
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8.8oz / 250g AP flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp allspice
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp cloves
• 5 oz / 140g (1 cup) raisins
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup milk (or buttermilk)
• 20 oz white chocolate
• 9 oz apricot jam (I used jam because fresh apricots aren’t always in season and jam is easier to find)
• 6 - 8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• ⅓ cup cold whipping cream
• 3 heaping tbsp apricot jam
• About 1 - 2 tsp water

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C. Prepare two, 12 cup muffin pans with cupcake liners (only 22). Set aside until cupcake batter is ready
• Peel the over-ripe bananas and completely mash them. Measure out 11.5 oz of the mashed banana (about 1 ½ cups) and set aside.
• Add the butter, oil, sugars into a bowl and using a hand held mixer, mix the ingredients until they have been creamed.
• Add the eggs, one at a time - mixing well between each addition, and mix them through the batter. Add the mashed banana and vanilla and mix those through as well, using the mixer.
• Place the sifted flour, spices, baking soda and salt in a bowl and whisk till well-combined.
• Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold through. Add the milk and mix through. Add another ⅓ of the dry ingredients and fold through. If the mix is REALLY thick, add a little more milk.
• Add the raisins to the remaining flour and mix. Add this raisins and flour mix and fold through.
• Scoop the batter onto the cupcake liners evenly, until they are about ⅔ of the way full, and fill all 22 cupcake liners. I used an mini cookie scoop to help me distribute the batter evenly.
• Bake for about 15 -17 minutes until the cupcakes are done (a dry toothpick inserted should come out clean, and the top of the cupcakes will be springy to the touch at this point).
• Remove from the oven and let them cool.
• Place the chocolate chips and jam in a microwave-proof bowl and heat in 20 second bursts until the chocolate has melted. Add half of the butter and a pinch of salt and mix it in to create a smooth chocolate ganache. Let it cool.
• When the chocolate ganache is cool, but not hard, whisk it using a hand-held beater to whip the frosting. Add the softened butter and whipping cream and whip until its completely incorporated and light.
• Set aside for a few minutes, till the chocolate thickens so that its pipeable.
• Take one piping bag and insert a 2A swirl tip. Place the frosting in another piping bag. Snip the end off of the frosting filled bag (when ready to decorate cupcakes), and insert it into the piping bag with the tip.
• Pipe a rosette swirl on each cupcake and drizzle some apricot glaze on top.
• Optional - Pipe some pastel coloured flowers (see video!).
• Place the apricot jam and water in a small bowl and heat for a few seconds just to loosen the jam. Make sure its not hot and then drizzle it on the cupcakes. Enjoy!