Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

When I get stressed, I bake.

This week, with my school semester starting and the looming endeavor of my master’s thesis on my mind, I spent no time blogging and all my time baking. The good news is, the fruits of my labor were absolutely delicious and now I have some great recipes to share with you.

If you like bananas, chocolate, and cream cheese, try baking these cupcakes now. They are super easy and so delicious – they may be in my list of top 5 cupcakes I have ever made. I took them to work and even non-banana lovers gave them rave reviews! You can whip these cupcakes up in no time and people will think you took hours developing the decadent recipe and baking.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes about 12 large cupcakes.

Ingredients:

Cupcakes
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. mashed bananas (I used 3 medium bananas)
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
Chocolate chips (to your liking)

Frosting
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup butter , room temperature
3 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 c. pure maple syrup

Cupcake Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Cream together butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
4. Add egg, mixing until just combined.
6. Mix in bananas and vanilla.
6. Add dry ingredients in three additions, beating until just combined.
7. Stir in chocolate chips.( I used about 1/2c. but I think you could use up to 2/3c.)
8. Using a portion scoop, fill each mold in a baking-cup lined muffin tin to the top.
9. Bake for 18-23 minutes, or until tops are a golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
10. Cool cupcakes on a wire rack.

For the frosting*:
1. Cream together cream cheese and butter.
2. Beat in the sugar in 1 c. additions, making sure the frosting is smooth before you add another cup.
3. Beat in maple syrup.
4. Transfer frosting to a piping bag. (I used a zip lock bag with the tip cut off.)

* Add more or less sugar or syrup to taste. I like very cream-cheesy frosting, so I stuck with three cups of sugar. You could probably do up to four cups, but I find the syrup makes the frosting sweet enough.