Chocolate Banana Brownie Cupcakes

Sometimes life is full of really tough decisions. These decisions can be so challenging that they can bring one to tears, horribly large mascara smearing tears. Recently I was faced with an extremely difficult choice to make, should I eat brownies or should I eat cupcakes? To some of you out there this seems like a very silly thing to have vexing me to tears but if you happen to be a sugarholic like I am, then you completely understand my dilemma. Oh how I love the fugdy gooieness of brownies, and the soft fluffiness of cupcakes (not to mention the frosting, oh heavenly delight) that when forced to choose between either my head just about explodes. That is how I decided on brownie cupcakes, complete with chewy crust, fluffy cake and even melty ganache for gooey goodness. I think these little ladies will have to make an appearance this weekend at Coffee, Cookies and Crafts seeing as how they are too good not to share with the world. Yum!

Chocolate Banana Brownie Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 bananas, the riper the better
1 cup soymilk, or almond works well in this too
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup melted baking chocolate
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. chocolate extract

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and either line or grease your cupcake pan. This recipe makes 15 cupcakes, or 12 pretty large cupcakes. So you may have to use two pans or prepare for huge cupcake goodness!
In a bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. Melt baking chocolate either in double boiler or microwave (I never use a microwave, but I understand the convenience of using one, just make sure you don't microwave too long, because the chocolate can burn). Mash the bananas really well, or toss in a blender to create a thick banana goo. In a mixer combine bananas, soymilk, sugar, canola oil, vanilla extract and chocolate extract. Then add in melted chocolate until well mixed in, then slowly add your flour mixture. You will end up with a thick and dark brown, almost black batter. Pour the batter into your cupcake tins and bake for 22-25 minutes.




Buttercream frosting

1/2 cup Earth Balance
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (I use Spectrum Organics)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. chocolate extract
4 T. soymilk
3-3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Using room temperature Earth Balance cream together with shortening. Slowly add in powdered sugar, then add in extracts and soymilk. If mixture is too thick add more soymilk one tablespoon at a time, and if too thin add more powdered sugar. I don't really measure this stuff so really just use your best judgement on the soymilk/powdered sugar factor.

Chocolate Ganache

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup soymilk
2-3 T. agave

Heat soymilk until warm, but not boiling then pour over chocolate chips and mix well with a small spatula, then add in agave. You should have a thick syrup. Place in refrigerator to cool, or I usually just let it cool on my counter top until it is room temperature.

Once cupcakes have cooled frost the cupcakes with one layer or buttercream frosting, drizzle on chocolate ganache and then put more buttercream on top. So friggen good!! You may have to put the cupcakes in the refrigerator for a couple of minutes just to make sure ganache doesn't melt down the sides and so it is solid enough to add more buttercream on top. Let the cake eating commence!