Cupcakes Week 50

BANANA SPLIT CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS
1 box Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake Mix
1 stick butter, melted
4 eggs
3/4 cup water
2 medium sized ripe bananas, mashed
7 oz jar marshmallow creme (or fluff)
For Frosting:
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup sliced strawberries, pureed into a pulp
5-6 cups powdered sugar
Chocolate sauce
Sprinkles
Chopped almonds
Maraschino Cherries
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 muffin tins with liners.
In the bowl of a mixer, combine cake mix, melted butter, eggs, water, and mashed bananas. Beat on low for 1 minute. Increase speed to medium high and beat for 2 minutes more. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full with batter and bake for about 15 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Remove cupcakes from tins and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
Once cupcakes are cool, prepare frosting:
In the bowl of a mixer, combine butter and strawberries and beat on medium until combined. Slowly add powdered sugar on low until just mixed. Increase speed to medium high and beat for about1 minute.
Cut holes in the top of cupcakes with a sharp knife, about 1/3 of the way into the cupcake. Fill holes with a spoonful of marshmallow creme, then pipe or spread frosting on top. Top with chocolate syrup, chopped almonds, sprinkles and a cherry.
Notes:
For the strawberries, I used unsweetened frozen sliced strawberries. I thawed out a cup, then pulsed them in the food processor.
In the frosting, start out with one cup of powdered sugar. If the frosting seems to runny after beating it, add the other cup or more if necessary.