BANANA CupCAKE(s) W/ PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

BANANA CAKE W/ PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 egg yolks
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
3 crushed bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg whites, beaten

Directions

Combine the sugar and butter and beat on low speed until completely combined.Add the egg yolks and beat on high speed until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients — flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt — and whisk thoroughly. You’ll want the baking soda to be well distributed throughout the flour before adding to the wet ingredients. Alternate adding dry and wet ingredients (milk), beating each time until it is just incorporated. Start and end with dry/When you’re done, you should have a nice, soft, fluffy batter. Now mash the bananas and add them to the batter. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, but not so much you dry them out. Carefully fold the egg whites into the batter, trying not to deflate them too much.Pour the batter into three greased and floured round pans. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.FOR Cupcakes I baked for 15 minutes

Peanut Butter Icing:

1 c. powdered sugar                                                   ¾ tsp. vanilla

1 c. creamy peanut butter                                          ¼ tsp. salt

5 TBS unsalted butter, room temp.                            1/3 c. heavy cream

Place the powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.