Sore Back

My husband said his back hurt so our two youngest children volunteered to message it. So, my husband laid down to see if it would help. My son squeezed the back of his neck like he was chocking my husband. Then my son and youngest daughter karate chopped his back. Just in case my husband wasn't in enough pain at this point, they pushed their elbows into my poor husband's back. My son asked, "Doesn't this feel good, Daddy?"  Lesson learned: if you want your back to feel better, do not allow my two young children to help you out. Days later he is still recovering! My husband is so thoughtful that he volunteered for them to do my back next. I ran away.

I asked my son what kind of birthday cupcakes would he like. He said he wanted Power Rangers. I said not what type of decorations but what type of flavor did he want. He thought about it and told me he wanted banana. How many little kids ask for banana cake? I make banana bread all the time but I have never made banana cake before. I figured Martha Stewart would have a recipe for a banana cake. I am glad I trusted my instincts because these cupcakes are great. The cupcakes have a subtle banana taste. To top the cupcakes, I used a buttercream recipe found in my now favorite book The Pastry Queen. 

Banana Cake
3 cups cake flour, sifted
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
12 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
4 very ripe large bananas, mashed
3/4 cups buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.
5. Add 1 egg at a time incorporating well.
6. Add the bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla.
7. Slowly, add about 1 cup of the flour mixture at a time and incorporate well. Continue to add the flour mixture until all combined.
8. Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full.
9. Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
10. Let cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before frosting. 

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart. There is a link for a caramel buttercream recipe which I have not tried.

Did you already know..........
-Bananas are harvested everyday of the year.
-Bananas are the most popular fruit in the U.S.
-The Cavendish banana is the typical banana eaten in the U.S.
-Other types of bananas are Goldfinger, Latundan, Red bananas.