Banana Cupcakes w/Cream Cheese frosting & a Baby Shower!

Recently, I had the opportunity to throw my bff, Jhiane, a Baby Shower.

It was a small and intimate shower with some of our closest friends, her favorite foods, and no tacky Baby Shower games.  Although I do enjoy the company of some children in my life, I loathe Baby Shower games, the good thing is, so does Jhiane.


The main menu consisted of...
a Cheese Platter.
Mini Chicken Tacos (Trader Joe's) - taste awesome.
Cucumber Chive Afternoon Tea Sandwiches.
Salsa Mac & Cheese - Jhiane's favorite dish!
Black Bean Taquitos (Trader Joe's) - dry, not worth purchasing.
Rosemary & Garlic Chive Bread - heavenly!

And Banana Cupcakes w/Cream Cheese Frosting.

Yup, my friend and I share the same love for food, but that's not the only thing we have in common. 

We share the same love for dancing, music, celebrity gossip, eating, desserts, staying up late with a cuppa, sleeping, shopping, New York City, and vacationing at fun islands.  We are in a lot of ways the same person.

Jhiane and I go way back and have known each other for the past 15 years, and each year my friendship with her seems to deepen and strengthen to the point where I can honestly say she probably knows me better than anyone. 


it’s not often that I tell Jhiane what it is that I love so much about her, but today I will type it out…
     She can read me like an open book. 
     She forces me to be true to myself even when times are tough.
     She isn't uptight about anything.
     She never judges me no matter what I tell her.
     She keeps it real, always.
     She makes me laugh at myself, herself, and everyone else. 
     She finds humor in just about everything.
     She lifts me, sees the good in me, and then tells me all the things I should be grateful for when I fail to see the big picture.
     She has stayed on the phone with me (and fallen asleep on me) many, many times after hours when I've felt high and low.
     She is happy for me when good things happen to me.  
     She steers me in the right direction when I'm off track.
     She is always ready to eat and dance.
     She is so supportive of my blog and all of a sudden I'll randomly get a bunch of hwc Facebook updates from her.
     She makes me step out of my comfort zone and experience new things in life.
     She is selfless.
     She is my best friend, my partner in crime.

Jhiane has been an exceptional friend to me, and I know she's going to be an even exceptional mother to her newborn daughter, Malia, who was born just last month, a healthy, beautiful baby.  She's a miracle!

Although Jhiane's life will be consumed with so much love, joy, and stress in the next few months, one thing is for sure, it's my turn to be there for my bff while she experiences the highs and lows of motherhood, a difficult, but rewarding journey for every mother I know.

And Jhiane, while you go through this transition, it's okay to lean on me, it's your turn to be selfish, and my turn to be selfless.  I can only hope that I've been as good of a friend to you as you have been to me.  And here is to many, many more vacations to come our way in the near future (even with baby Malia)!  I love you mama!  Our favorite spot... San Juan, Puerto Rico - August 2005.

NUTRITION: Bananas are a very good source of Vitamin B6.  They are also a good source of Vitamin C and Fiber.  Other than that, there is no nutrition in this cupcake, but it’s worth indulging in once in a while.


APPROXIMATE NUTRITION PER SERVING (yields 16 cupcakes):

• Calories: 268 cals
• Fat: 16g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Carbs: 28g
• Protein: 3.3g
• Fiber: 0.4g

BANANA CUPCAKES W/CREAM CHEESE FROSTING  (courtesy of Butter Lane Bakery in New York City)
~ yields 16 cupcakes @ 300 degrees using a cupcake tray


INGREDIENTS:
for the banana cupcakes:

• Unsalted Butter – ½ cup  (room temperature)
• Sugar – 1 ¼ cups
• Eggs – 1 ½
• Pure Vanilla – a splash
• Buttermilk – ¾ cup
• baking Soda – ¾ tsp
• Baking Powder – ¼ tsp
• Salt – just a pinch
• Cake Flour – 1 ½ cups
• Pureed Ripe Bananas – 1 cup

for the cream cheese frosting:

• Unsalted Butter – ½ cup  (room temperature)
• Cream Cheese – 1 (8 ounce) bar  (room temperature)
• Confectioners Sugar – 2 cups
• Pure Vanilla – a splash
• Milk – 1 tbsp  (optional: to thin out the frosting a little, if need be)
• Food Coloring – a few drops of yellow  (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. 
2. Add butter and sugar to a bowl.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium to high speed.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla. 
5. Mix until light and fluffy, like this.
6. In a separate bowl, add the dry ingredients… flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Mix.
7. Add half of the dry mixture to the wet ingredients.  Mix until combined, do NOT over mix.
8. Add half the buttermilk. 
9. Alternate between the dry and wet ingredients, starting with the dry and ending with the dry.  DO NOT OVERMIX.  This is what you should have.
10. Mash/puree the bananas.
11. Add the mashed/pureed banana to the cake batter.
12. Mix the banana in for about 1 minute.  DO NOT OVERMIX. 
13. Using an ice-cream scoop, scoop the cake batter into a cupcake liner. 
14. The recipe says to bake for 23 minutes at 300 degrees, however I baked mine for about 33 minutes at 300 degrees. 
15. For the frosting.  Add the butter and cream cheese to a mixing bowl.
16. Whip the butter and cream cheese until well combined for about 5 minutes.
17. Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar. 
18. Beat until creamy.  Add a tablespoon of milk, if need be.
19. If desired, add food color.
20. HEAVENLY!

VERDICT: 5 / 5 
I took a cupcake class at Butter Lane Bakery in New York City, and they seriously make an amazing banana cupcake.  The cupcakes are very moist and the banana flavor is prominent.  This recipe is outstanding!  Every single person loved them!  Jhiane ate 2 at her shower and took 2 to go.  She’s crazy!  I ate 2 at her shower, and 1 more the next day.  I’m crazy, too!  I wasn't lying when I said we love to EAT!  So so good!!!

TELL ME: Do you like Baby Showers?  Do you enjoy Baby Shower games?  What’s your favorite food item at a Baby Shower?