Strawberry Rhubarb Compote (AIP)

In some ways, this detox has forced me to re-think a lot of what I do in the kitchen. I consider myself to be pretty resourceful in the kitchen.  Take away an ingredient and I’m usually able to find a suitable substitution.  No gluten? I’ll replace flour with a gluten free version. No grains at all? I’ll use a nut flour. No sugar? Find a more natural sweetener (never the artificial stuff). No dairy? there are plenty of alternative milks available. No eggs? I’ll use pumpkin puree or applesauce or a banana or flax seed. But take grains, eggs, dairy, nuts/seeds, AND sugar? I might be a little stumped to concoct a dessert. It isn’t impossible--my creativity just must be stretched even further.

I have had to think outside of traditional “baked goods” and move more into the category of frozen desserts & custards that can be made with coconut milk and without eggs & fruity desserts--things that more heavily rely on the refrigerator/freezer and the stove top. The longer I go without sugar, the less my body craves it & the more my tastebuds recognize the tiniest bit of sweetness from fruit.

When it comes to rhubarb, I’m quite often a purist. The rhubarb pie and rhubarb sauce I grew up eating didn’t fall into the strawberry rhubarb category. When I found organic rhubarb in the store, I really wanted to create a rhubarb dessert that is friendly to my detox guidelines, however, since rhubarb is seriously tart, a sugar free just rhubarb dessert was not going to be successful (i.e. edible).

Ripe strawberries have an excellent naturally sweet flavor & they do pair well with rhubarb.  Organic Unfiltered Apple Juice makes up the remaining sweetness.  I combined the three ingredients, cooked them together until the fruit broke down, much of the liquid evaporated & the flavors intensified.

The amounts I give in the recipe are more like guidelines--there isn’t as much science to this recipe as there is to a cake. I use roughly 1 part sliced rhubarb to 2 parts hulled very ripe strawberries to 1 part unfiltered apple juice, but it can certainly be adapted to personal preferences. Do note that this compote will (most likely) taste tart to someone who is eating sugar on a daily basis...

On a more everyday basis, I spoon compote over some unsweetened coconut yogurt, but as a treat, it’s also a great topping to coconut ice cream.

Strawberry Rhubarb compote 

3.4 oz Organic Rhubarb, sliced
6.75 oz Organic Strawberries, sliced
4 oz Organic unfiltered Apple Juice, plus more if necessary

1. Combine in a small sauce pan. Heat over medium heat for 35 minutes min. Stir occasionally, but increase stirring amount towards the end of cooking. 
2. Remove from heat & taste a small amount. If the compote isn’t sweet enough, add a couple more oz of apple juice. Cook until the liquid has reduced, stirring occasionally. 
3. Remove the pan from the heat & transfer the compote to a separate container. Cool completely. 
4. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 
5. To serve, spoon over coconut yogurt or coconut ice cream. 

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Coconut Whipped Cream (AIP)

I have a love/hate relationship with coconut whipped cream.  Ideally, one is supposed to be able to refrigerate a can of coconut milk overnight, open the can, scoop off the solids & whip them into amazing “whipped cream.” This is NOT always the case.

As you can see in this picture I posted on Instagram a couple weeks ago, I’ve had my fair share of coconut whipped cream failures... I asked others what they did to ensure that the coconut milk would actually whip into usable cream & I received some good tips. Two pieces of advice that I took to heart were 1) to use Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream (which is *still* unsweetened) and 2) to open the can from the bottom, after the refrigeration process.

Using those words of wisdom, I made a successful batch of Coconut Whipped Cream that fit with my detox specifications and felt like a decadent treat, when spooned on top of berries. I found my berries were sweet enough that I left my “cream” unsweetened (whether through stevia, or, if you’re not on a detox diet, powdered sugar).

Coconut Whipped Cream 

1 can of Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste/extract (omit for AIP)

optional: sweetener of choice, such as honey or maple syrup

1. Chill the can of Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream in the refrigerator overnight.  
2. The following day, flip the can upside down & open the can from the bottom.  Drain out any liquid & use it in something else (like add it to a smoothie). Scoop the remaining solids into a bowl. 
3. Using a hand-held mixer, whip the solids for a couple minutes, or until the cream forms soft peaks. 
4. Add the Vanilla Bean Paste & optional sweeteners & mix to combine. If a more firm texture is desired, re-refrigerate for 10 minutes before serving. 
5. Use as you would use regular whipped cream--here, I spooned it over some berries. 
6. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple of days, though re-whipping may be required. 

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Pear Blueberry Smoothie (AIP)

Detox. It usually isn’t a “fun” word. Customarily, it means giving something up--often an unhealthy something--to make life a little better (dare I say “healthier”) in the future. I usually follow the Julia Child quote  “Everything in moderation… including moderation.” But sometimes our bodies have different plans...

I haven’t written in great detail about my current personal health struggles. If you know me in real life, chances are I’ve mentioned them to you (and if for some reason I haven’t, please feel free to ask). I’m just not certain I’m ready to write about it... Joy the Baker has an excellent post that references qualms with sharing personal information online.  Those who have been readers of “Sweet Treats” for a while have probably noticed many of my recipes are now gluten free, mostly because I find that I feel better on a GF diet. But now I’m taking things even further and doing a major food/lifestyle detox under the supervision of a doctor.

Not just no gluten, but no grains at all either. Also, no sugars/sweeteners. No dairy. No eggs. No corn. No nuts/seeds. No pork. What am I eating, you may ask? Basically, I’m eating an extreme paleo diet of meat, certain fruits & veggies, coconut, and olive oil, plus supplements. Lots of supplements.  And this detox will last 3 to 6 weeks at minimum.

Sounds pretty radical, right? It is, especially for a pastry person like I am.  But really, you get tired of shuttling from one specialist to the next & STILL not feeling well, even though your prescription list is a mile long. You get to a point where you’re willing to try anything to feel better.

I’m not going to say this detox journey has been easy--I’m a little more than 2 weeks in at this point. Some days are hard (especially at the beginning), but more days are less hard. This detox does require time, both in planning & the prep of meals & snacks. Trust me, you don’t ever want to find your self hangry (hungry + angry) because you forgot to plan a snack.....

Having the support of my husband & family & friends has been key too. They’ve gone along with my new plan & had the discipline not to eat things in front of me that I can’t eat. They’ve encouraged me when I felt like giving up.

Some of these lifestyle & dietary changes may become permanent (which is still a very scary concept), but I guess we’ll see how my body reacts once this detox process ends.  Really, one of my top goals is to help my body heal itself through nutrition. I’m happy to say that I’m already starting to feel better!

In the mean time, this blog will also be following my detox plan, which may result in some rather unusual items. I understand that not all readers may be a fan, but my first loyalty has to be to myself and my health. I’m afraid that if I deviate from my detox, even just for a blog post, I’ll be too tempted to make further exceptions that won’t make the detox as successful. My limited list of “allowed” foods has forced me to stretch my recipe writing creativity, and I’m not disappointed with the results.

So welcome to this new chapter of Sweet Treats. I’m excited to see where it goes!

Note: I am not a doctor, nor a healthcare professional. I do not suggest you follow these extreme dietary measures unless your doctor tells you to (and gives you the proper supplements). If you’re interested in doing a free, less-intense diet-based detox, I suggest you check out Whole30.

Pear Blueberry Smoothie
Serves 1; This smoothie is designed to fit in the Ninja Professional Blender single-serve cups. The recipe could be doubled (or tripled) for a larger blender. 

Pre-detox, I was really a cereal-for-breakfast sort of a girl. Now I’m totally hooked on smoothies instead! Many smoothies include bananas, but tropical fruits (i.e. high glycemic) are not on my allowed list. So I’ve found that a very ripe pear makes a lovely stand-in. Smoothies really aren’t rocket science, so don’t fret too much over the ingredient amounts--they’re really more like guidelines than anything. Just make sure you don’t overfill the blender cup :)

1 medium to large very ripe Pear, organic, if possible, cored--mine weighed approximately 6.5 oz AFTER coring
2/3 c (approximately 3.4 oz) frozen Blueberries, organic, if possible,
2/3 c (approximately 6.3 oz) Unsweetened Coconut Milk (organic if possible) 
1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder (optional), or substitute Collagen Hydrolysate (if AIP) 

1. Cut the organic pear in half & remove the seeds/stem/blossom. place each pear half cut side down & slice pear into small cubes. Place cubes into the blender cup & mash down a little to ensure more fruit will fit. 
2. Add frozen blueberries on top of pears, making sure not to add anything above the “Max Fill” line. 
3. Pour over the unsweetened coconut milk, also making sure not to exceed the “Max Fill” line.  Optional: pour in the protein powder. 
4. Screw on the bladed top & tighten. Flip the cup upside down, and fit into the blender base. 
5. Pulse a few times, or until the smoothie is well blended. 
6. Remove the blade top (rinse immediately). Add a straw & enjoy immediately. 

 Note:

• Many varieties of pears will work. I usually use whatever kind of organic pear is the cheapest. The riper the pear, the sweeter the smoothie will be. 
• As much as I love wild blueberries in other applications, I do not recommend them here because they make a much pulpier smoothie. They work in a pinch, but will drastically change the texture. 

This post contains affiliate links. Though, Ninja has never heard of me--I just like their blender. 

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Lemon Raspberry Pavlova (GF)

Forgive my unexpected time lapse between posts.  By now, I ought to know that when I’m taking a trip back to North Dakota (which is where I've been the past two weeks), I really won’t have time to finish a post, even if I have the best intentions of doing so, haha.  I’m also sorry for not sharing this lemon raspberry pavlova with you sooner! It’s a keeper. 

Every time I make a pavlova for dessert, I wonder why I don’t make it more often. It’s very easy to make & naturally gluten free, not to mention super tasty. Luckily, I’ve gotten a couple friends hooked on it, and they remind me to make it :) When one of those aforementioned friends celebrated her birthday a few weeks ago, I knew it was the perfect time to test out a pavlova variation that has been rolling around my head for quite a while.....

 Most often, when I’m making pavlova, I make a version of the Berry Pavlova I posted last July; however, this time, I switched things up. I don’t know if there’s a way to make a pavlova more elegant than it already is, but somehow crafting it into individual portions seems to do the trick. Plus, they’re easier to serve at a dinner party (which is where I served these). And using tart lemon curd as the filling pared wonderfully with the sweet meringue shell. Top little whipped cream and a few raspberries & you’re set with a spectacular dessert.

Pavlova Shells
Yields 4 servings 

2 ea Whites
3.5 oz / 1/2 c Granulated Sugar
Vanilla Bean Paste/Vanilla Extract (optional, I forgot to add it to mine & they still tasted great!) 
1 tsp Cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 250 F. 
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper & spray with cooking spray .  
3. In the very clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the egg whites.  Mix on medium-low speed until they become foamy.  Gradually add the sugar, a couple tablespoons at a time. 
4. Once all the sugar is added, increase the mixer speed to high & whip until the mixture holds stiff peaks and becomes very thick & glossy.  
5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl & add a splash of the vanilla bean paste/extract. Mix on high speed one additional minute.  
6. Remove the bowl from the mixer & sift the cornstarch over the meringue.  Use a silicone spatula to gently fold in the cornstarch, taking care not to deflate the meringue.  
7. Use a large portion scoop to portion the meringue into 4 small mounds on the prepared parchment. Use a small offset spatula to hollow out the center slightly to make room for the filling & fruit that will be added after baking.  
8. Place the pan into the oven & immediately drop the oven temperature to 225 F. 
9. Bake the pavlovas for 30 minutes, rotate the pan & bake for 15 to 30 additional minutes.  When done, the outside will be dry & firm to the touch, but the interior will be soft & marshmallow-y Ideally, the pavlovas should remain very pale cream in color. If they begin to brown, reduce the oven temperature, or even turn the oven off & allow the residual heat to finish the baking process. 
10. Cool completely before assembly. If not planning to assemble & serve the pavlovas immediately, tightly wrapped the completely cooled meringue shell & store at room temperature so that it retains it’s crispy shell. 

Lemon Curd

sorry, I do not have a volume measurement for this recipe. If you run out of time to make your own curd, you could substitute store bought :)

80 g Egg Yolks

126 g Granulated Sugar

100 g Lemon Juice

25 g Heavy Cream

65 g Butter

1. In a small stainless steel saucepan, whisk together yolks, sugar, juice, cream, and butter and cook over moderately low heat, whisking constantly, 5 to 7 minutes, or until mixture just reaches a boil (do not let boil). 
2. Strain curd through a fine sieve into a bowl. 
3. Cool curd with its surface covered with plastic wrap (pressed into the curd, so that it doesn’t develop a skin), and chill. Alternately, chill over an ice bath (with plastic pressed into the curd). 
4. Curd may be refrigerated for up to 2 days. 

Assembly

Assemble just before serving

Cooled Pavlova Shells

Chilled Lemon Curd

Whipped Cream

Fresh Raspberries

Mint (optional garnish--my grocery store was completely out, so I couldn’t use any...) 

1. Gently press the center of the pavlova shell to indent it a little further. 
2. Spoon a little lemon curd into the indentation.
3. Top with a quenelle (or dollop) of whipped cream & sprinkle with a few raspberries. Optional: garnish with a few sprigs of fresh mint. 
4. Serve immediately! 

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Starburst Jelly Bean Cocktail

Step 1: Buy a bag of Starburst jelly beans, several weeks before Easter, in the seasonal candy aisle at the grocery store, intending to turn it into jelly bean liqueur. 

Step 2: Put recently-purchased bag of jelly beans into the pantry & promptly forget about it for a week or two. 

Step 3: Re-discover jelly beans & remember intended liqueur & cocktail blog post.  

Step 4: Separate all the jelly beans into their separate colors. 

Step 5: Slowly begin snacking on aforementioned separated jelly beans, over several days, after procrastinating buying necessary cocktail ingredients (i.e. vodka). 

Step 6: Buy a second bag of Starburst jelly beans, because you seem to have nearly eaten all the batch.... 

Step 7: Repeat step 4…. 

Step 8: Add vodka to two mason jars with selected jelly beans (pink and orange; yellow and purple). Cover & let sit for a minimum of 24 hrs. Shake every so often.  

Step 9: Discover that yellow and purple Starburst jelly beans may taste really good together (actually, my favorite combo), but together they turn into a most terrible color, which you decide not to photograph.....   

Step 10: After 24 hours (or more), strain vodka into a decanter. If your prefer, se a damp coffee filter to line the strainer (to strain out any jelly bean sediment). 

Step 11: Mix jelly bean liqueur with club soda, a little simple syrup, and ice. 

Step 12: Enjoy immediately!  

Starburst jelly beans are one of my all-time favorite Easter candies (see step 5) and I’ve been thinking about making jelly bean cocktails since last Easter.  I know, Easter is less than 2 days away--I’m a little late in posting this idea (see step 2)--but, you’ve still got time!  Hurry and buy the ingredients immediately :) 

Starburst Jelly Bean Liqueur 

This recipe is more guidelines than anything.  Could be easily doubled (or reduced) if necessary. 

1/4 c Starburst jelly beans

1 c Vodka (don’t go with the high quality stuff, but do check to make sure it is GF, if necessary. I used Smirnoff, because it was the cheapest GF option I could find.) 

1. In a mason jar (or other jar with a lid). Combine the jelly beans and vodka. Cover and shake. 
2. Allow to sit, at room temperature, for at least 24 hrs. Shake occasionally. 
3. After 24 hrs, strain into a separate jar. Line the strainer with a damp coffee filter, if you prefer al the sediment strained out. Note: the jelly beans may not be entirely dissolved, but that’s ok. 
4. Store liqueur in the refrigerator, until ready to use. 

Jelly Bean Cocktail

again, mostly guidelines....  

1 part Starburst Jelly Bean liqueur 

2 parts club soda (or substitute lemon-lime soda, if prefer a sweeter cocktail)

Ice

Simple syrup, to taste

1. Mix together the liqueur with the club soda and ice. 
2. Taste.  Add simple syrup to your own sweetness preference.
3. Enjoy immediately. 

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Easter Egg "Cascarónes" Cookies

Last year, my first in a Texas/Mexico border community, I was ushered into a world of a new-to-me Easter tradition: cascarónes. With a quick crack on the top of my head, and a shower of colorful confetti, I officially experienced “cascarónes” aka “confetti eggs.”  Just remember, when cracking cascarónes on someone’s head, use an open palm & crack the egg on the back of the head nowhere near the eyes!

Cascarónes are made by breaking open one end of an egg, disposing of the egg white/yolk, cleaning, drying & decorating the empty shell, then filling it (usually with confetti) & gluing tissue paper over the hole. You can make them yourself (I actually really love this post on Oh Happy Day--such great pictures!)  But, I must confess, around this area, there are SO MANY pre-made very, very inexpensive cascarónes available that I cheated & used the store bought.

While brainstorming Easter cookies (and Easter Traditions), I suddenly remembered that once-upon-a-time, I pinned a recipe for piñata cookies, which featured three layers of baked sugar cookies, with the middle layer hollowed out to make room for candy. When the finished piñata cookie was broken, out poured candy (not too different than a real paper mâché piñata. (side note, I am *really* getting to use the special characters in this post, haha).

I thought about how similar the piñata cookies are with cascarónes, only you don’t traditionally break a cookie over someone’s head--in my world that would be the shameful waste of a good cookie! But I decided to merge the concepts of piñata cookies with the idea of confetti eggs.  And voila, Cascarónes Cookies.

As with any sugar cookie, these do take some time, though much of it is inactive as you wait for things to dry/rest/cool etc. There are tons of absolutely gorgeous easter egg decorated cookies, but I was a bit short on time (I was simultaneously working on this project ). I tried to keep things simple: a white outline flooded with pastel colors & white dots.

One of my biggest challenges (aside from finding time to actually finish these cookies) was finding the right candy to go inside. Because I wanted the cookies to mimic the confetti eggs & have lots of small-ish candy spill out when eaten, I was searching for the smallest size Easter candy possible.  Both my husband and I scoured several stores, with little luck. I thought I would have to settle for mini m&ms (whose primary colors sort of clashed with my already-decorated pastel cookie tops), but then I discovered a gem in a craft store in San Antonio: chocolate covered sunflower seeds! And they were pastel for Easter!  Win! (Side note: I am also no longer allowed to buy chocolate covered sunflower seeds because I cannot seem to stop eating them).  

Really, this concept could translate to most any cookie design, but I do have a few recommendations.  First, make sure your cookie dough is one that holds its shape very well when baked--my recipe (listed below) doesn’t have baking soda or baking powder in it, so it doesn’t spread or puff.  The cookie dough should be slightly thicker (especially for the middle layer) than you may normally roll it, but that will ensure a sturdy cookie, with plenty of space for candy.  Feel free to substitute whatever small candy fits inside.

Secondly, royal icing does dry really hard and the first couple of bites into the cookie can be a little challenging. If making these for kids, I’d recommend having the parents help to “open” the cookie for the child.

Sugar Cookie Dough 
(sorry, I don’t have volume measurements for this recipe!) 

200 g Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
200 g Granulated Sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
Generous Pinch of Sea Salt
380 g AP Flour (increase to 400 g, if live in a humid area)--

1.  Cream together the butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix on low speed until completely combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
2. Add the egg and vanilla and mix again on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to incorporated too much air into the dough.  
3. Add the flour and salt. Mix on low speed until the flour is just incorporated and the dough forms a ball. 
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap & flatten into a disc.  Refrigerate a minimum of 30 minutes (thought overnight is best).  Rolling/baking/decorating instructions will continue below.  

Gluten Free Adaptation: May also substitute Jeanne's GF AP Flour mix to make a gluten-free version. 

Royal Icing 
half recipe courtesy of Sugarbelle  

Note: I’ve recently switched to this new royal icing! I find it’s easier to make & works better. 

1lb (half of a bag) of confectioners’ sugar
27 g / 2.5 Tbl Meringue Powder
1 to 1.5 tsp oil-free extract or emulsion (I used imitation almond this time, with a tiny bit of vanilla)
3 oz Warm Water

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir together the sugar and meringue powder. 
2. Meanwhile, add the flavoring to the warm water. 
3. While the mixer is still running on it’s lowest setting, slowly add the water/flavoring. 
4. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the icing is fluffy and thick. Ideally mix only until the icing will hold a soft peak.  
5. Store icing in an airtight container with a wet paper towel pressed into the surface.  
6. Color the icing as needed. 

Cookie Baking

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper
• Roll out the cookie dough evenly between two layers of parchment. The dough should be rather thick--mine were around 1/4 inch.  

• Use a large oval cookie cutter (oval cutter)  to cut out 10 ovals. Place the ovals onto a baking sheet. 

• Use a slightly smaller oval to press a slight “guide line” indentation into the tops (5 total), if desired, to later help with piping the icing. 
• Bake the large ovals for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for approximately 10 more minutes. Due to their thick nature, these cookies may take a bit longer than others.... The cookies should be done, but not yet developed any color. Once baked, allow the cookies to cool completely. 

• Meanwhile, re-roll, if necessary, and cut out 5 more large ovals.  Place those onto the second prepared baking sheet & refrigerate until firm (approximately 10 to 20 minutes.  Use a smaller oval to cut out the centers of each cookie (to leave room for candy later), and use a small offset spatula, if necessary, to remove the middle.  The middle cookies and the small ovals can be baked on the same baking pan.  Refrigerate for 10 minutes. 
• Bake the second sheet for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for approximately 8 more minutes. 
• Re-roll any scrap pieces & cut them into any shapes you like. 

Decorating & Assembly

• Match up two large cookies with one middle cookie. 
• Using a #3 round tip & thick white icing, outline the top cookies.  Allow to dry at least 30 minutes. Do the same with any small ovals too (or other shapes made from re-rolled scrap pieces). Save the remaining white icing for the cookie assembly 
• Flood the inside of the outlined cookie with a pastel colored icing. Use a toothpick or scribe tool to coax the icing into all areas of the cookie. Swirl to release any air bubbles. Quickly pipe white polka dots into the wet icing.  Allow to dry several hours (though overnight is best). 

• When ready to assemble the cookies, gather the reserved white icing, the prepared (and dried) cookies, and whatever candy you’ve chosen for the filling (I used chocolate covered sunflower seeds. 

• Pipe a ring of icing near the edge of the bottom cookie, taking care not to pipe too close to the edge, or the icing may drip off the sides. 

• Gently top with the middle cookie. Allow to dry at least 30 minutes. 

• Fill the center cavity with the candy 

• Pipe royal icing on the cookie ring.  Top with the decorated cookie & press gently to adhere.  Allow to dry at least 1 hr.  

• Decorated cookies will keep for several weeks, if wrapped well with plastic wrap and/or stored in an airtight container.  

This post contains affiliate links. 

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Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

I haven’t felt as inspired in the kitchen lately. I could blame it on many different factors.... going out of town... lack of energy while still recovering from sickness... starting an exciting new adventure...  the busy-ness of life in general... My poor camera hadn’t been touched in a couple weeks, nor have I been keeping up with my writing (or, for that matter, the dishes that continually pile up in the kitchen)....

But, I did make a particularly fabulous batch of banana cupcakes last weekend that were too good not to share! They were for the birthday party of a friend who loves banana bread, so the leap to banana cupcakes seemed like a no-brainer.

The cupcakes were topped with cream cheese icing & garnished with a banana chip.  Funny story with the banana chip garnish idea.... I made the cupcakes & frosting sort of last minute, and in my haste to get them wrapped to take to the birthday party, plastic wrap fell into the soft icing tops of a couple cupcakes :( But then I remembered a stash of Trader Joe’s banana chips in my pantry.  I brought those along to the party & added them as garnish on the top.  Suddenly, no one was noticing the slightly marred icing :)

But let’s be honest, most people at the birthday party were more interested in tasting the cupcakes than looking at them. The flavor was spectacular! Cream cheese and banana are a perfect pairing. A couple people even said it was perhaps their favorite cupcake ever--those words do tend to make a pastry person feel pretty good :)

 Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to replenish my now depleted supply of frozen ripe bananas.

Banana Cupcakes
adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

115g (1/2 c or 1 c) Unsalted Butter, room temperature
100 g (1/2 c) Brown Sugar
150 g (3/4 c) Granulated Sugar
3 large Eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 c mashed very ripe bananas (for me, that was 5 medium bananas, or just shy of 400 g)
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
250 g (2 c) AP Flour (or substitute Jeanne’s GF AP mix, if wanting to make them GF)
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1/2 c Buttermilk (or 1/2 c milk mixed with 1/2 Tbl lemon juice)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two cupcake pans with 18 liners & set aside. (see note below) 
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars. Mix on medium speed until well combined, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  
3. Mash the banana in a small bowl (I use my fingers, or a fork). Add the bananas to the mixing bowl, along with the vanilla extract, and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  
4. In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl & mix on low speed until just barely combined. Add the milk and mix again on low speed until just barely combined--it’s ok if the batter is lumpy.  
5. Portion the cupcakes into the prepared liners. 
6. Bake for 17 to 19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into one of the middle cupcakes comes out clean. The second pan may take a few extra minutes (mine took about 22). 
7. Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before icing.

Notes: 

• While the original recipe yields 18 cupcakes, I found mine to be a little shorter than  I would have liked. Next time, I will plan to make only 16. 
• It would be super easy to make these cupcakes gluten free, by substituting your favorite cup-for-cup/ounce-for-ounce GF AP flour blend... My go-to blend is Jeanne’s GF AP Flour Mix.  
• I have only tested the recipe by weights, but have included volumetric amounts for those who do not bake by weight. 
• If you don’t have overripe bananas available (I usually keep a stash of bananas in my freezer), use this tip from Thefauxmartha  to roast bananas first. 

Cream Cheese Icing
adapted from The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook

8 oz (1 c) Unsalted Butter, room temperature
16 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste (or substitute extract)
24 oz (6 c) Confectioners Sugar, sifted if lumpy

Banana Chips, optional, for decoration

1.  In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes, or until well combined & lighter in volume. 
2. Sift the confectioners sugar, if it is lumpy. Once the butter/cream cheese/vanilla mixture is done, add the sugar & mix on low speed until combined. Then, increase the speed to medium and mix for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. 
3. Place the finished icing into a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip (I used an Ateco 808). 
4. Pipe icing onto the top of each cooled cupcake and garnish with a banana chip, stuck into the top of the icing. 
5. Store leftover icing in the refrigerator. Decorated cupcakes may be stored at room temp or in the refrigerator for a couple days, though the banana chips might become soggy.  Allow cupcakes to come to room temperature before serving. 

note: this post may contain affiliate links

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