Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Banana, Nutella, & White Chocolate Cupcakes


Nutella: the food of the gods. I grew up with the stuff, getting my own jar each Christmas as a special gift from my German relatives. This was before it could be found in every supermarket in the States so it was a real treat for us. My mom not only allowed but encouraged us to try it in unique ways: on sandwiches, paired with fresh fruit, or simply by the spoonful. It remains one of my favorite treats not only because it's delicious but also because it reminds me of my childhood.

A few weeks ago I did a little throw down between white chocolate versus regular chocolate frosting paired with peanut butter cupcakes. But why should the two chocolates be forced to compete when they could just as easily work together? Thus was born one of the zaniest cupcakes I've ever come up with. So indulgent that even I began to wonder if I'd gone too far. Because banana and chocolate is such a winning combination, why not combine banana, white chocolate, and Nutella for an over-the-top blending of flavors?

White chocolate's been on my brain (and too frequently in my belly) all month as I've tried to come up with the ultimate white chocolate cupcake for Sweetest Kitchen's Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge, and this cupcake really takes the cake. It's an ooey, gooey melding of flavors, each delicious in its own right but even better when combined. My masterpiece begins with a flavorful and moist banana cake with dollops of Nutella baked in. The filling is a refreshing white chocolate cream cheese with fresh diced bananas and the frosting is a swirled blend of white chocolate buttercream and Nutella buttercream. I went the easy way out for the swirled effect and just "painted" the side of a pastry bag with each frosting and piped away.

Sure, it's indulgent but you can treat yourself once in a while. The Nutella gods would approve. As will the folks you pay your gym membership to after you realize how many calories you just consumed.



You can check out my other white chocolate cupcake experiments here on my blog:

Good luck to all the other entries. Can't wait to see what everyone's come up with!



Banana Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from 125 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup mashed banana (about 2 large)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Approx. 1/3 cup Nutella

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 12 cupcake wells with paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix together sugar, oil, and eggs until smooth. Add banana and vanilla, beating well. Add flour mixture, beating until combined.
4. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Top each cupcake with approx. 1 1/2 teaspoons of Nutella and swirl in with a toothpick.
5. Bake 22-28 minutes or until edges are brown and spring back when touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack.

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Filling
Recipe adapted from Emeril Lagasse

2 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1/8 cup milk
2 ounces cream cheese
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 banana, diced


1. In the top of a double boiler, combine the white chocolate and milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring until the chocolate is melted. Let cool to room temperature.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and vanilla. Gradually add the cooled chocolate and beat until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator 2 hours before filling cupcakes.
3. Cut a cone out of the top of each cupcake and discard (or, if you're me, eat). Fill the cavity with a few pieces of diced banana and a spoonful of cream cheese filling.

White Chocolate Buttercream
Adapted from BBC Good Food

1 3/4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler, stirring often. Cool.
2. Beat the butter and powdered sugar until creamy. Beat in the chocolate and continue to beat at medium-high speed until fluffy.

Nutella Buttercream
Adapted from French for Cupcake

2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup Nutella
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2-3 teaspoons heavy cream

1. Cream together the butter and Nutella until blended.
2. Add the powdered sugar gradually until ingredients are combined.
3. Mix on high speed, adding cream until frosting is smooth and creamy.
4. Using a spatula or flat butter knife, "paint" one side of a pastry bag with the Nutella buttercream and the other side with the white chocolate buttercream and pipe evenly onto cupcakes.




The winner of August’s Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge will receive prizes from:

Thank you to all our prize sponsors!


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19 comments:

HoosierHomemade said...

Oh My!! Those look amazing! I'm definitely adding them to my list!
Thanks so much for adding them to Cupcake Tuesday!
~Liz

Unknown said...

:drool::

Lisa said...

The frosting looks amazing. I usually miss out on the frosting as my kids eat the frosting and pass a long the cupcake to me.

Lisa
lisasrecipecards.blogspot.com

Anne said...

OMG that sounds entirely too delicious!!! I'm a sucker for anything with Nutella, and Nutella/banana is one of my favorite combos.

Jacqueline said...

Not only does this sound incredible, it looks out of this world! Your photos of it are to die for. I love the combination on the frosting and filling a cupcake (or splitting it and filling it) is the only way to go, otherwise you have to just eat the top half. Gorgeous!!!

Unknown said...

WHY ARE YOU NOT IN MY KITCHEN? HMMMMMM? totally to die for, I WANT SOME NOW. I need to get all the ingredients and make these asap. THANKS FOR LINKING!!!

Stacia said...

My goodness, nutella-banana-white chocolate. TASTY!

C&C Cakery said...

This is seriously my favourite entry in the mystery box challenge. Good luck to you!

. said...

These look absolutely incredible!!! Great job!

Cath @ dunnntoperfection.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

My kids would love those!
{Rebekah}

Unknown said...

Hello there Your to die for cupcakes have been featured at CraftOManiac.blogspot.com THANKS AND YUM AGAIN! jen

Lina Thomlinson said...

Thank you for the lovely comments, everyone! I'm trying to go through and check out all of your blogs but there's only so much time in a day! I'll get around to everyone eventually.

Kylie Jayne said...

Hi, I found your blog at Bettie rocker link party, nice to "meet" you, can't wait to check out more of your recipes.
Kyliejayne
http://sweetestalchemy.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

wow. all my favorite things. must make these NOWWWWWWW.
my diet does NOT thank you. ;o)

Susie Buetow said...

Oh my gosh! These look great!!! I'm begging you to come link this post up under my recipe tab! My readers would love these!!!! Let me know I'd love to feature you as guest chef sometime!

Im your newest follower. I found you on someone else's link up!

Stop in!
Susieqtpies at Scraps of Life
http://cafescrapper-scrapsoflife.blogspot.com/2010/09/follow-friday-link-up-and-blog-hops.html

Susie Buetow said...

I've been trying for 30 min. to follow you on Google Friend Connect. Not sure what is up with it not working! I'll come back later.

Susie Buetow said...

Yeahh!!! I'm now your newest follower! What a pain to be down like that for your blog.

Either way, I'm happy to come back today and look and drool at your goodies!!!!!

Have a super weekend!
Susie

Anonymous said...

Looks delicious! Thanks for linking up with Make It Fantabulous! Hope to see you back next week!
Joy
mommaskindacrafty.blogspot.com

hjbxvc said...

I made these last night and they are good.
my cupcake turned out a little more muffin like... but still good.