Banana Bread
Chunky Monkey Cupcakes
This recipe for chunky monkey cupcakes yields an amazing ganache-frosted treat. Bananas, walnuts, and chocolate are always an amazing combination of ingredients, no matter what, but it really doesn't get any better than this dessert. Feel free to omit the frosting and enjoy these as muffins.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 ripe bananas
- 2 tablespoons milk (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup white sugar
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup dark chocolate chunks
- 1 cup very hot, but not boiling cream
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 12 dried banana chips
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl; set aside.
- Mash bananas, milk, and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl until smooth; set aside.
- Beat sugar and butter together in a separate large bowl with a spatula until creamy. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, then whisk in banana mixture. Add walnuts, chocolate chunks, and flour mixture; mix with a spatula until no dry spots remain.
- Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each to the top, distributing excess batter as needed. Tap the tin against the counter to expel any air bubbles.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are lightly browned, about 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes to room temperature, at least 20 minutes.
- Pour hot cream over chocolate chips in a bowl; let sit for a few minutes, then whisk, increasing speed gradually, until color is uniform. Spread ganache over cooled cupcakes; garnish with banana chips. Refrigerate to firm ganache frosting, if desired.