CHOCOLATE, PEANUT BUTTER & BANANA CUPCAKES

CUPCAKES:

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sliced & firmly packed ripe banana
1 tbs canola oil
3 tbs water
1 lg egg
1 tbs dutch process cocoa powder
1 (9 oz) box devil's food cake mix without pudding

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING:

2 1/2 tbs softened unsalted butter
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup plus 2 1/4 tsp 10x sugar
1 1/2-2 tsp whole milk
2 1/2 tbs roasted & lightly salted chopped peanuts
10 dried banana chips

preheat oven to 375°. place a medium-sized platter in the freezer.

line 10 standard muffin cups with paper liners. set aside.

to make the cupcakes, in a medium bowl & with an electric mixer, beat the peanut butter, sliced banana, oil & water together on medium speed until mostly smooth or only a few very small pieces of banana are visible. on low speed, beat in the egg, cocoa powder & the cake mix. increase speed to medium-high & beat for 1 minute or until batter is well blended.

spoon an equal amount of batter into the lined muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full. bake on the center rack for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.

remove cupcakes from the pan & place on the platter in the freezer. freeze for 8 minutes to quickly cool the cupcakes.

while the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. with an electric mixer, beat together the butter & peanut butter until smooth. gradually beat in the 10x sugar & 1 1/2 tsp milk until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency. if needed, add up to an extra 1/2 tsp of milk to make frosting smooth. frost cupcakes. sprinkle the tops with an even amount of the chopped peanuts. garnish the tops of each cupcake with a dried banana chip.

makes 10 cupcakes

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