banana+caramel+cream = YUM!

What I made for Easter Dessert:
Banana Caramel Cupcakes...and they won me over...now in the top three of my all-time favorite desserts!

So, what we have here is a banana sour cream cake made into cupcakes, and then sliced in half, filled with caramel sauce & thinly sliced bananas and then topped with caramel cream & chocolate. I threw in some toffee bits, too. But next time I might leave those out and focus more on the chocolate flavor.

I found this recipe in a cupcake cookbook, and what a treasure it is! The original recipe shows the cupcake with TWO layers, only possible when using extra large, "Texas" sized cupcake pans. I don't have one of those but I want one now! Next time I will surely double up on the layers, but for now, here are some photos. And photos are all we have left because these babies disappeared faster than it took me to make them!




The recipe:
banana caramel cakes

Ingredients:
Sour Cream Banana Cake
6 Tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cur all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2/3 cup mashed overripe banana
1/3 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons milk

Filling and Topping
13-oz jar caramel sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped
2 medium bananas (sliced thinly)
3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate. or whatever kind you like!

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 3-hole oversize (Texas) or 12-hole standard muffin pan with paper cups.

2. Beat butter, sugar and eggs in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.

3. Stir in dry sifted ingredients, banana, sour cream and milk. Divide mixture among baking cups, smooth surface.

4. Bake large cakes for about 25 minutes, small cakes about 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

5. Remove baking cups from cakes.

3. Fold 3 Tablespoons of the caramel into the (already whipped) cream.

7. Cut cakes horizontally into three slices (note: I only made one cut for the small cupcakes). Re-assemble cakes with remaining caramel and banana. Top with caramel flavored cream.

8. Using a vegetable peeler, grate chocolate and sprinkle over cakes.

Enjoy!