Banana Bread Cupcakes with “That’s the Best Icing I’ve Ever Had”

Since the icing has 2 steps, I’d start it first. So in a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. (If you’re in a hurry, place the saucepan over ice in the sink for about 10 minutes or so until the mixture cools.)

Then turn your attention to the cupcakes and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grab your 12-cup standard muffin pan and line with standard paper liners.

Take a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

In a separate small bowl, mix together butter, mashed bananas, eggs and vanilla. Grab your medium bowl with the flour mixture in it and make a well in the center. Then pour your banana and butter mixture into the well. Stir to incorporate the flour mixture, making sure to not over-mix. If you do, then you’ll have super tough banana bread. Add the chopped walnuts and fold in.

Dividing evenly, spoon batter into muffin cups (I filled them up about 3/4 of the way full) and place in the preheated oven. Bake them for 25-30 minutes, or until you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.

While the cupcakes are in the oven, go back to the icing and cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla to the cooled milk/flour mixture. Then add the cooled milk/flour/vanilla mixture to the butter mixture and beat until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.

NOTE: The milk/flour/vanilla mixture MUST be cooled before you add it to the butter and sugar mixture. For a step-by-step tutorial, check out this post from Ree: https://tastykitchen.com/tasty-kitchen-blog/2010/03/a-tasty-recipe-thats-the-best-frosting-ive-ever-had/

When the cupcakes are all done and ready, remove them from the oven and take them out of the pan. Cool them on a wire rack. When they’re cool, spread the tops with amazing frosting. Take the extra banana, peel and slice, placing each slice on top of each cupcake.

Note: Cupcake recipe by Martha Stewart