Brown Sugar Banana Cupcakes with Avocado Buttercream Frosting

Brown Sugar Banana Cupcakes with Avocado Buttercream.

May 9, 2011

Raise your hand if you think I’m weird.

Or… don’t. I’ve already seen enough hands. I’m beginning to develop a complex.

So here’s the deal. Like bananas? Like avocados? These cupcakes were made for you. Yes, you! I had you in mind all along. We have so much in common, FYI. It’s like we share a brain.

Someone I don’t share a brain with? Hmm… that would be my husband. This is made all the more evident considering he can calculate down to the penny just how much a pair of shoes that are 30% off + and extra 10% off will cost, while I sometimes try to count the 47 (48? 50?) states on my fingers and round my $78 grocery bill down to $50.

Pretty banana cupcakes with silky frosting that resembles Slimer? So cute, so sweet, so soft and fluffy? Mr. How Sweet’s worst nightmare. Only one way I could make it worse: adding coconut. I didn’t do that, by the way. I’m not mean.

So don’t feel bad if you want to slap me silly. If you’re looking at me like I have a third eye. If you think my taste buds have gone off the deep end. No. Don’t fret. It is scary yet adventurous in an oh-so-awesome way. Trust. You must have trust.

Trust is important in this mutual relationship of ours. I make (sometimes weird) things and you say “that looks so good!” or “that looks… interesting…” or “what were you thinking?!” Even when we both know that it is weird, that I am weird. Fortunately for you, looks can be deceiving. So make these weirdo cupcakes and please your tongue. Take a big chewy bite and experience the softest, smoothest cupcake with the freshest taste you can imagine. They will rock your (weird) world. I don’t lie.

Brown Sugar Banana Cupcakes

makes 12-20 cupcakes, depending on your scoop

1 1/3 cups flour

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

1 egg

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Combine dry flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg and set aside. In a bowl, whisk egg and add brown sugar, mixing until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract. Add sour cream and melted butter and mix. Stir in dry ingredients, then add mashed bananas and mix until batter comes together. The batter will be thick. Using an ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measure, scoop batter in liners. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Let cool completely.

Avocado Buttercream

2 ripe avocados

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

pinch of salt

Cream avocado and butter together until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt and add vanilla. More sugar can be added if you’d like the frosting thicker. Frosting can be store in the fridge for up to 3 days. I recommend refrigerating the cupcakes.