Banana Cupcakes: Tropical flavors with a luscious twist

Banana Cupcakes with Calamansi Marshmallow Frosting and Salted Caramel Drizzle. Photo by Ching Dee.

Craving for tropical flavors in a handy cupcake? Try out this easy and delicious cupcake recipe that looks like you’ve been slaving in front of a hot oven for hours!

How to make the Banana Cupcakes

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups mashed ripe bananas
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Cream the softened butter, sugar, and eggs. Mix until everything is well blended. In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the butter-sugar-egg mixture.

Mix until smooth. In another bowl, add the buttermilk to the mashed bananas and mix. It won’t look very good at this point, but don’t panic – it will get better. Add this milky banana mixture to the rest of the batter and mix until everything is well incorporated. Grease (or line) a muffin tin and pour in the banana bread mixture until around 2/3 full, since it won’t rise that much. Bake for about a 20-25 minutes at 225’C. Once it’s delicately brown and the center doesn’t jiggle anymore, it’s done. Take it out of the muffin tin and let it cool completely before slicing/serving.

How to make the Calamansi Marshmallow Frosting

• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 4 egg whites
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 tsp Calamansi juice
• 1/2 tsp Salt

Pour the water and sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a slow boil. Be careful not to burn in. Also, DO NOT mix it, otherwise, it’ll crystallize. The sugar will dissolve as the water boils, so just leave it be. Once all the sugar is dissolved, turn off the stove and let the mixture cool a bit. Then, with a hand mixer, whisk the sugar mixture at medium speed and put in the egg whites one at a time. Once all the 4 egg whites are in, whisk the mixture at the highest speed. Add the salt and Calamansi juice.

Whisk until it forms stiff peaks, which will take around 8-10 minutes, if you’re using a hand mixer.

How to make the Salted Caramel Drizzle

• 3 tbsp butter
• 8 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp evaporated milk or buttermilk

Mix all the mixture in a saucepan over low heat until all the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture becomes golden, glossy, and thick. Let it cool before drizzling it over your cupcakes.

To put the cupcake together, simply pipe the frosting over the banana cupcake and pour some caramel. Enjoy!