Moist and ultra-tender banana cupcakes flecked with pineapple, pecans, and coconut. Add a dollop of cream cheese frosting and crown with a dried pineapple flower for cupcakes that'll impress, guaranteed!
Yield: 12cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
1cups120 grams all-purpose flour
1/3cupgranulated sugar
1/3cuppacked light brown sugar
1/2teaspoonbaking soda
1teaspoonground cinnamon
1/2teaspoonfreshly ground nutmeg
1/2teaspoonfine-grain sea salt
1cupabout 2 medium mashed ripe bananas
1/2cupvegetable oil or canola oil
1large egg
1teaspoonpure vanilla extract
1/2cupcanned crushed pineapple with juice
1/3cupsweetened shredded coconut
1/3cuppecansfinely chopped
Cream cheese frosting
8ounces1 cup cream cheese, room temperature/softened (or vegan alternative)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a standard, 12-cup cupcake tin with liners.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugars, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt.
In a medium bowl, mash the banana. Add the oil, egg, vanilla, pineapple, and coconut and mix thoroughly.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until mixed. Fold in the pecans.
Divide batter between the 12 muffin cups.
Bake until the tops spring back when pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out dry, 18-22 minutes or so.
Remove cupcakes from oven and let cool completely.
While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting.
To a medium bowl or to the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cream cheese and butter. Mix with hand mixer or stand mixer until combined and a bit fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue beating until fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Mix in the vanilla.
Frost cooled cupcakes. You can do it simply with a knife or pipe with your favorite tip.
Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Top with pineapple flowers, if using, right before serving.
Notes
Dairy-Free Option
For dairy-free frosting, swap in vegan cream cheese and vegan butter (I use Earth Balance). Depending on the brands you use, your frosting may end up wetter than if you use traditional ingredients. Sift in more powdered sugar until your frosting reaches the consistency desired.Adapted from this Hummingbird Cake recipe from Tori Avey (be sure to click through to this post for a wonderful history lesson about this cake and so much more!)