Monday, April 9, 2012

Banana Almond Butter Cupcakes with Banana Frosting


When I was a kid I dreamed about opening up my own bakery.  Then I realized I'd have to wake up before dawn and suddenly the dream became less appealing.

These days most of my desire to bake revolves around my family. I love baking for my family.  It's very satisfying to see them enjoying my efforts.

This week's recipe came to mind after a visit to Trader Joe's.  I decided to purchase a jar of almond butter, with the intent of spreading it on some bread as an alternative to my normal PB and J.  But once I opened the jar and was hit with the delicious scent, I decided that it was worthy of more than just a sandwich.

Cupcake Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
2 bananas peeled and mashed

Directions

Preheat oven to 325F.  Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with paper muffin liners.
In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Whisk until combined.  In a separate bowl, beat butter, almond butter, vanilla extract and sugar until well combined.  Add sour cream.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Add wet mixture to dry ingredients.  Then add mashed bananas and mix until batter comes together.  Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.  Let cool completely. Yield: about 1 dozen muffins

Frosting Ingredients
8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup mashed banana, about 1 large banana
pinch of salt
sliced almonds, for garnish

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add sugar and salt, beat until combined. Add mashed banana to mixture and mix until light and fluffy.
To frost cupcakes, fill a large Ziploc bag with frosting, cut corner tip with scissors and use as a piping bag.
Garnish with sliced almonds.

Recipe adapted from http://www.foodnetwork.com/

44 comments:

  1. Hello Brandi,

    My hubby would love these!

    Enjoy your day. :)

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  2. Hi Brandi... opening a bakery sounds always interesting me too sometime think about it...
    Cup cakes looks so perfect and sounds yummy too...I think you can go for this bussiness... how perfectly you dress them.... sure I will try it...

    Hope you will enjoy a visit to see the beauty of spring @
    http://craftaworld.blogspot.com/
    With love
    Farah

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  3. I love your idea of opening your on bakery! The cupcakes look amazing....and you never know what the future holds...you might end up doing it after all, even with those crazy morning hours!! :) Or just sell them out of your house for now...:) :)

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  4. Hi Brandi!

    Your cupcakes look great and I'm sure they taste even better! I've been on an almond butter kick lately; it's so good!

    Thanks for the kind words. I'm going to have to get back in the game soon! :)

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  5. Oh that looks so yummy! Thanks for a great recipe for me to tryout, you know I love banana anything! Hope you had a great Easter!

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  6. That looks so good although I don't like Banana I would try these

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  7. Those seriously sound delicious Brandi:)!

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  8. Oh mercy me, those sound and look so yummy!

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  9. I could almost taste them!!! Yummmy!

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  10. MMMM, yummy! Brandi you are so talented. I feel you on those morning hours. I've never been a morning person. But I think you could be rich selling your yummies and those gorgeous pillows!

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  11. oh yum! I have never tried almond butter but I know I would love it. Those will be on my to make list :) Thanks for stopping by!

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  12. Brandi, these look yummy! You should definitely go into baking...

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  13. This sounds amazingly yummy. Thanks for sharing Brandi.

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  14. I need to choose which blogs I go to better! Between you and Latoya at Scotts Crib I'm gonna gain weight just reading your blogs! Looks delicious!!

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  15. Mmmmm, these look delicious. I love that almond butter from TJs. I never thought to bake with it!

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  16. Oh Brandi What a WONDERFUL RECIPE! I can hardly wait to try it!!! "YUMMMMY"!!! Thank you so much...
    Have a great week,
    Hugs,
    Donna

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  17. Just printed this! Yummmm, thanks :)

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  18. LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe! TJ's almond butter is awesome and so is this recipe! thanks so much for sharing...hugs...your newest follower!

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  19. Oh my!!! I'd love to try one...

    Yummy♥

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  20. Those look so delicious!!!
    Bookmarking this recipe.
    Thanks for sharing and happy day to you!
    XO

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  21. I'm waiting by my mailbox....you have my address :) the cupcakes look so good.

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  22. Oh Yum! These look so good! I am pinning it! I am really inspired to try these especially since the almond butter sounds so delicious! Angie xo

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  23. Wow Brandi, these looks so delish! And they're pretty too. Thanks for your compliment about my thrift store dress. BTW, I'm having a giveaway on my blog. Hope you'll stop by & enter.

    Warmly, Michelle

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  24. I love these cupcakes, I have been baking quite a bit over here lately but I will be trying these very soon!

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  25. I only have one thing to say: YUM. The dry, salt-less bowl of popcorn I'm eating seems like punishment after reading your blog. I'm your newest follower, btw. Hope you'll stop by my blog sometime.

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  26. I only have one thing to say: YUM. The dry, salt-less bowl of popcorn I'm eating seems like punishment after reading your blog. I'm your newest follower, btw. Hope you'll stop by my blog sometime.

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  27. Brandi, I am very happy to know you. It is very welcome. New friends are my pleasure.

    I loved your blog. You have good taste. It's always nice to read about cooking and decorating issues.

    Sweet kiss!

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  28. Don't you just love Trader Joes? Looks yummy!

    -Shelly

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  29. Hi, Brandi

    These look great. Yummy!

    Vanessa

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  30. oh these sound wonderful, I too would never be good in the industry any more, I hate getting up early.

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  31. The icing alone had me clicking over. Looks amazing!! Can't wait to try.

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  32. Hi Brandi,

    These sound divine, thanks for sharing this and all your creative posts. I've enjoyed my visit and am your newest follower.
    Thank you for stopping by and commenting on my blog. I will follow your pins too!
    Happy Friday!

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  33. Oh my goodness those look so delicious! I love almond butter. Thanks for sharing! I really want to try these. I'm your newest follower :-)

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  34. Ooh Brandi these sounds sooo good, I love almonds, these might be dangerous for me to make! :))

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  35. Wow, these cupcakes look marvelous! You should open your bakery soon! Thanks for visiting me and for your sweet words :)

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  36. These are perfect, sound and look so yummy and I love bananas and almond :D

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  37. Yum! This sounds like a cupcake I could have for breakfast and that's always good with me! :]

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  38. I love everything about this recipe!! thanks!

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  39. Thank you for sharing this terrific recipe! Can't wait to try it. :-)

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  40. Hello Brandi, Thanks for stopping by my site. I had recently came across your blog and have definitely enjoyed it. I am now a new follower. Stop by and visit again when you can - I will definitely be trying some of these recipes.

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  41. I've enjoyed some of these before and they were delicious.

    Pics look yummy.

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  42. This is so not good for my diet, Brandi. Those look soooooo good!!

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