Roasted Banana and Blueberry Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream
Two Dozen Cupcakes (and a loaf for yourself)
Cupcakes:
4 bananas, roasted and cooled
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
2 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
2 tsp Chinese Five-Spice
½ tsp fine sea salt
1 cup heavy cream
¾ cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla paste
2 cups fresh blueberries
Caramel Buttercream:
6 egg whites
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp vanilla paste
4 ½ sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup caramel – preferable homemade
1) Preheat the oven to 400 and place four bananas on a medium baking sheet. Roast the bananas for 12-15 minutes until the skins are black and slightly swollen. Set aside to cool.
2) Reduce the oven to 350 degrees and line two muffin pans with paper cupcake liners.
3) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, five-spice and salt.
4) In the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk the heavy cream to medium peaks (don’t overmix!). Scrape the whipped cream into another bowl and return the original bowl to the standing mixer (no need to wash).
5) Add the eggs, oil and vanilla paste and mix with the paddle attachment until evenly combined. Peel the cooled bananas and add the fruit to the bowl, mixing again until evenly combined. Add the dry mix and mix until just combined.
6) Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the whipped cream and then the blueberries. Fill the cupcake lines ¾ of the way full. Bake them, one tray at a time, for 19-20 minutes until puffed and golden. Allow them to cool in the pans on a wire rack.
7) The remaining batter can be spooned into a parchment-lined loaf pan and baked for 40-45 minutes until a wooden skewer comes out clean.
8) For the buttercream, combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water and gently whisk until the mixture hits 140 degrees and the sugar has completely melted. Transfer the whites to the bowl of a standing mixer and whisk on medium high until the mixture is fluffy and completely cool – about 6-8 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla. With the mixer going, add the butter in 1 Tbsp portions until the buttercream comes together. (It may break, but it will come together!) Switch to the paddle and add the caramel, mixing on low until completely combined.
