Monkey Business

Banana Cupcakes [1]

Check out the frosting on these banana cupcakes. Super smooth and creamy, cream cheese buttercream … so delicious and creamy. Did I mention creamy? I also used a little added yellow to tint the otherwise cream colored creamy cream cheese frosting … you know, just to enhance the senses. I’m tricky like that.

Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Yield: 12 cupcakes

Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

Banana Cupcakes

  • 1-3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 large ripe banana (or almost 1 cup)
  • 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature

Creamy Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  • 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 box (1lb) of confectioner's sugar
  • Buttercup yellow icing color (optional)

Instructions

  1. Banana Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line cupcake tray with 12 baking cups.
  2. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl with a wire whisk.
  3. Cream butter and sugar in a mixer for about four minutes. Add banana and mix until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
  4. Add half the flour in three additions alternating with milk in two additions. Scrape down the sides with each addition.
  5. Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until done.
  6. Crean Cheese Frosting: Cream butter and cream cheese in mixer until thoroughly combined. Add vanilla. Then add sugar in small batches until combined and creamy. Add a small amount of buttercup yellow icing color to frosting and mix.
Now you can eat them just like this or …

Confetti Cupcakes [2]

Party them up a little bit with small pastel colored confetti sprinkles … just because it’s that kind of day.

But, these banana cupcakes need something else… something to keep them company.

A little friend maybe?

IMG_3315 [3]

Yes definitely.

But my little monkey needs a friend, too.

Cupcake Toppers [4]

So this little piggy and teddy joined in on the fun.

Cupcake Toppers [5]

And so did my favorite martian, robot and bumblebee.

My head is actually going to explode from all this cuteness.

Bumblebee Cupcake Topper [6]

Could these be any more adorable? Look at that bumblebee bottom.

Cupcake Towers from Lollipop Workshop [7]

Why yes, yes they can! These cupcake toppers are also candleholders. I’m officially in love here.

Cupcake Toppers from Lollipop Workshop [8]

And it gets even better. They want to be your friends, too. Not these, they’re mine. All mine.

Cupcake Toppers [9]

But these could be all yours.

When I bought these cutie pies from the Lollipop Workshop [10] on etsy (also be cheery [11] on flickr), I bought enough for two more sets. And I want two of you to have one. Well I want all of you to have them, but I only have two sets to give away. (Martian and Robot colors may vary from above.)

All you have to do to enter is give me some advice.

You see, Lollipop Workshop also sent me something else … A surprise … when she mailed the cupcake toppers.

I’m 10000000% certain it will be crazy cute!

From Lollipop Workshop [12]

It’s in this box and I haven’t opened it yet.

Why?

Lollipop Workshop Goodies [13]

Because she also sent this box for my little helper. So sneaky and sweet of her.

So the question is…
Should I wait until my niece visits again so we can open them together?
Should I rip open mine now and show you what’s inside?
Should I open both of them? I could re-wrap ’em and no one would be the wiser.
But I do like surprises. Hmmmm… tortured by sweetness.

Okay, so you know I’m really gonna wait, right.

But, I’m just curious – what would you do?

  • Leave your answer in the comment section below and you’ll be entered for a chance to win a set of assorted cupcake toppers from Lollipop Workshop [10].
  • Make sure to leave a way for me to contact you if you win.
  • Deadline to enter is Tuesday, August 18th at 5 p.m. TIME’S UP!
  • Two winners* will be picked at random and announced sometime Tuesday evening on this post.

*Winners will be chosen using the random.org [14] integer generator.

Good Luck!

And, here’s some more cuteness from Lollipop Workshop [10]. Custom cake toppers, lollidolls and candleholders. The store sells out quickly when she adds new products, so just send her a message if you need a custom order.

Okay, Time’s up and here are the two winners

#1619 – Elle
#831 – The Pettit Family

Congrats! You’re getting some super cute cupcake toppers!

[15]


URLs in this post:

[1] Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bakerella/3828805086/

[2] Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bakerella/3828006029/

[3] Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bakerella/3828804906/

[4] Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bakerella/3828805438/

[5] Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bakerella/3828805554/

[6] Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bakerella/3828006185/

[7] Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bakerella/3828859388/

[8] Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bakerella/3828805282/

[9] Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bakerella/3828805018/

[10] Lollipop Workshop: http://www.lollipopworkshop.etsy.com/

[11] be cheery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/becheery/

[12] Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bakerella/3828006811/

[13] Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bakerella/3828006963/

[14] random.org: http://www.random.org/

[15] Image: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ifc8wjPbTDI/SotdBE6LqKI/AAAAAAAAAcw/GdKzKHHtzX8/s1600-h/Untitled-1.jpg