Nutella Swirled Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
It’s almost time.
I can count on one hand the number of days I have left @ the Sweet Spot. I’ll soon be moving and unveiling my new location!
Ohhhhh, the bittersweet excitement…
I am so excited and anxious that I decided to make some stellar cupcakes. So stellar that they hit the cupcake right out of the cupcake park- so to speak.
And once I did, it was impossible for me to stop taking pictures of them.
They’re just so homey, yet fanciful.
And delicious! Oh boy, are these some yummy cupcakes!!
I modeled the recipe after my Nutella Swirled Peanut Butter Banana Bread that I made last year. The only things that these cupcakes are missing from the banana bread are the chopped Reeses and chocolate chips. That’s an easy problem to solve though- sprinkle some chopped Reeses and mini chocolate chips on top! SCORE.
A killer moist banana cupcake with Nutella swirled right into the center, topped with a creamy peanut butter frosting!
Gosh. Bananas, Nutella, and peanut butter were just made for each other. I’m tellin’ ya.
Ingredients:
For the Cupcakes:
- ½ cup butter, at room temperature
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- ½ cup Nutella
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup (8 ounces) butter, softened
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 tablespoons milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F and line two 12-cup muffin pans with paper liners.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time beating, scraping after each addition. Add vanilla and banana. The mixture might curdle- that is okay.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.
Add ⅓ flour mixture to butter mixture then ½ the buttermilk. Add another ⅓ flour mixture followed by remaining buttermilk, then remaining flour mixture. Only mix until each is just combined.
Fill muffin cups ½ full with batter.
In a small microwave safe bowl, microwave Nutella for 30 seconds and stir to loosen (more if necessary). Dollop 1 teaspoon Nutella on top of each cupcake. Swirl Nutella into cupcake with a toothpick, using a figure 8 motion.
Bake cupcakes 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a Nutella-free section comes out clean. Remove from oven and set pan on wire rack to cool. Cupcakes might be sunken where the Nutella sits- that is normal.
FOR THE FROSTING: Cream butter and peanut butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until well combined and smooth. Add powdered sugar and mix on low until powdered sugar is absorbed. Add vanilla and milk. Beat on med-low for 2 minutes until fluffy and creamy. Spread on cooled cupcakes.
