strawberry banana cupcakes

It's my first day of my accelerated nursing program! AHH! Not going to lie, I'm definitely nervous about it all. I mean, it's 4 years of normal nursing curriculum packed into one year! (Plus, I have classes for pretty much 8 hours straight on Monday. Blegh.) But it was really reassuring to meet a bunch of people at the orientation, and find that they're all just as freaked out as I am! (And ready to spend all our money at Starbucks this year ;)) Plus, it will be nice to finally be working towards what I want to do in my life! Yay!
Now onto these cupcakes. YUM. Let me tell you from experience, it's pretty hard to go wrong when mashed banana is in the recipe. It seriously made the cupcakes so fluffy and moist, and they actually tasted like banana bread! Add the sweet strawberry buttercream, and it was just perfection! (Next I want to try the banana cupcake with a nutella frosting!!)

Strawberry Banana Cupcakes (recipe from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen)

Ingredients

• Cupcakes:
• 3 large bananas, mashed
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup (12 Tablespoons) salted butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• Frosting:
• 3/4 cup (12 Tablespoons) salted butter, softened
• 4 oz cream cheese (1/2 8 oz block), softened
• 1/3 cup frozen sweetened strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed (note: these do make the frosting very sweet, use fresh strawberries instead to knock the sweetness down!)
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (note: I probably used about 1/4 cup more)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 muffin tins with liners and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine mashed bananas and lemon juice and set aside. In another bowl, mix the flour and baking soda and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl beat the butter with a mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the sugar and beat on medium until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time until combined, scraping the bowl after each. Beat in the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, beat the flour mixture and buttermilk in alternately, starting and ending with flour and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Fold in mashed bananas.
4. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the center of cupcakes springs back when lightly touched. Allow to cool completely. on a wire rack.
5. Prepare frosting: In the bowl of your mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add pureed strawberry mixture, beating on low until smooth. Add powdered sugar and continue beating on low until JUST mixed. Increase mixer speed to high and beat for one minute.

Are you ready to get baking?

-Kylie