nana smores cupcakes!

Ever since Brandon got back from deployment, I've gotten my baking groove back. And I'm lovin it! Granted, I end up eating more of what I make than Brandon does. I don't know how he has so much self control! I'm like an eating machine. If its around, I'll eat it. I've actually started making bread again using my bread machine instead of going out and buying bread thats definitely not as tasty. I would rather not use the bread machine but with the little time I have hands free of baby, it just isn't doable. I guess its doable for a super mom and I haven't quite figured that part out just yet!

I've been wanting to make a smore type cupcakes for sometime now but I just didn't feel inspired to do it until this past week, plus having Brandon home helps because I am less prone to eat all of it. hahaha. Bananas are my favorite fruit and I love it in pretty much any baked goods, so in essence it would just make a cupcake THAT much better in my opinion! As soft and moist as cupcakes are already, the bananas definitely make it THAT much softer and that much more moist. The toppings of graham cracker crumbs, mini marshmellows and chocolate chips transports me to the backpacking trip Brandon and I did back in Georgia, minus the flood we were in, and the ticks, and the cold and wet shoes and socks and the sparse dry twigs to make a fire. So all in all, only the good part of a backpacking trip bundled in a little package. Ahh...delicious!

NANA SMORES CUPCAKES

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Celsius

Cupcakes

1 1/2 C All purpose flour
3/4 C Sugar
1 ts baking powder
1/2 ts baking soda

1/4 ts salt
1/4 C melted butter (unsalted)
3 overripe bananas-mashed
2 large eggs

1/2 C Chocolate chips-semisweet

Buttercream Frosting

1 stick (1/2 C) of unsalted butter
1 lb confectioners sugar
1 Tbs milk

1. Combine all the dry ingredients except the chocolate chips together in a large bowl, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients
2. In another bowl whisk together the melted and cooled butter, eggs and banana and pour into the well in the dry ingredients.

3. Gently fold together until just combined and add the chocolate chips and fold with a few more strokes.

4. Put cupcake liners into muffin tins and fill liners with batter evenly.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes and let cool on wire rack completely.

6. Beat butter till white and creamy with paddle attachment then add confectioners sugar and beat on lowest setting and add milk a little at a timel till it is the consistency you want for the frosting.

7. Dip cupcake into graham cracker crumbs and then decorate with mini marshmellows and chocolate chips.

8. Stuff it in your face! YUM!