Chocolate Peanut Banana-Buster Cupcake

When I was little, I grew up on two sandwiches: peanut butter & jam AND peanut butter & banana.  I've already made a cupcake version of my first classic childhood sandwich, so I felt it was time to make my other favourite as I bid farewell to my apartment and tiny galley  kitchen.   For this kinda healthy recipe you’ll need…

• Chocolate Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water...but you won't need the water for this one, but maybe some milk!)
• Store bought Vanilla Icing
• Store bought Chocolate Icing
• 2 medium over-ripened  bananas puréed (you'll need enough to make up the  amount of water your recipe calls for- if you don't have enough banana just add some milk to top it off)
• Butter (room temperature...around 1 cup....but it's up to you)
• 1/3 cup Peanut Butter
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Garnish Ideas: Peanut or Chocolate Covered Peanut

And here's my half healthy recipe...

Step 1: Preheat your oven as directed on the cake mix package.  Add all the ingredients your Chocolate Cake Mix calls for EXCEPT for the water.  Instead of the water, replace the called for amount with puréed bananas. If you don't have quite enough bananas, top it off with some milk. You'll want to use really ripe bananas, ideally over-ripened bananas because they are easier to purée and taste better too. Mix the ingredients together until it is smooth.

Step 2: Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on the package.  Once they are done baking, let them cool completely.

Step 3: On to the icing.  For this cupcake I made two icings for fun!  Really you could just make one, but I decided to go big since I'm leading my home!  First, icing number 1... this is the chocolate one that isn't really necessary.  All you need to do is mix together your chocolate store bought icing and 1/2 cup of butter on high until smooth.  Taste the icing and add some icing sugar if it tastes too buttery for your liking.  For icing number 2... the most important icing since it has the peanut butter... mix together your vanilla store bought icing, 1/2 cup of butter, and 1/3 of a cup of peanut butter on high until smooth.  If it seems too runny or isn't sweet enough for you, just add some icing sugar.

Step 4: Now it's time to ice your cupcakes.  First, layer on your chocolate icing.  I just used a spoon. After that, it's time to add the peanut butter icing.  I put mine in a piping bag and used tip #1M.  And that's it!  If you want to garnish your cupcake, you could use a Peanut or a Chocolate Covered Peanut.

Happy Faking!