Banana Pudding Cupcakes!

After baking my way through most of Martha Stewart's online recipes, and almost all of my cookbooks, I'm getting inspired to try out recipes from Pinterest. I came across this image of delectable banana pudding cupcakes and I knew I would make them soon myself. I love banana pudding! My family does not. They think it's some icky, gooey pudding with too many ingredients... I'm obviously not too sophisticated to adore a messy banana pudding. Nilla wafers are a childhood favorite of mine. And I'll use any excuse to incorporate them into my sweets.

The banana cake recipe is from old, faithful Magnolia Bakery. I filled the cupcakes with a creamy, store-bought vanilla pudding. Topped them off with whipped cream and a traditional Nilla Wafer cookie. I'm completely in love with them! So much, that I've eaten them for breakfast as well. Yikes! Rating: 5- out of 5.

Banana pudding summed up.

Banana Pudding Cupcakes: Banana Cake recipe from Magnolia Bakery

Ingredients: I only made half this recipe and got 14 cupcakes out of it
- 3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teasoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups mashed very ripe bananas
- 6 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter until smooth on medium speed. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add the bananas. Add half od the dry ingredients, mixing until well incorporated, then add the buttermilk and vanilla, and the second half od the dry ingredients, mixing well.
- Divide the batter in two 6-inch cake pans, and bake for 40-50 minutes (about 25 minutes for cupcakes).

To decorate cupcakes:
- Whether you want to make your own pastry cream or use a boxed pudding, vanilla or banana flavored, cut a small piece out of each cupcake center and discard the center. Fill a pastry bag with the pudding and pipe into each hole. Top the cupcakes with a whipped cream frosting (my recipe here), and finally top with a Nilla Wafer cookie. Enjoy!