Banana Split Cupcakes Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare a muffin pan by lining with cupcake tins. Measure the flour by spooning into your measuring cup and leveling it, then whisk it together with the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon and set aside.

Place the bananas in the bowl of your stand mixer and mash them with a paddle attachment on medium for about 30 seconds. Set aside.

Cream the butter on high for 1 minute. Add the white and brown sugars and cream on high for another 2 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, add the eggs one at a time and mix until combined.  Add the mashed bananas and vanilla and beat for 1 full minute, then scrape down the bowl and paddle. With the mixer still on low, add the dry ingredients until just combined, then add the buttermilk and mix until just combined. Give it a few stirs with your spatula to ensure that everything is nice and mixed up without overmixing. The batter will be thick.

Spoon the batter into prepared cupcake tins ⅔ of the way full, then bake for 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for five minutes before removing and continuing to cool on a wire rack or flat surface.

With a hand mixer or paddle attachment on your stand mixer, cream the butter on medium-high until it’s creamy and light (almost white) in color. About 7 minutes. 

Add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, scraping down after each addition and making sure each cup is fully incorporated before adding the next one. Add vanilla, milk, and salt and mix on medium-low for another two minutes until fully incorporated. 

Place the buttercream into an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Place chocolate chips into a heat resistant bowl (glass or metal). In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm heavy whipping cream until it just starts to boil. I always look for small bubbles forming around the edge and a soft boil starting in the middle. When you see that it’s just starting to boil, pour it into your bowl of chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds, then whisk it together until it's uniform in consistency and there are no bits of chocolate left on your whisk.

Cool ganache at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or until the ganache itself is room temperature. 

Once the Banana Cupcakes have cooled completely, add a scoop of cold Vanilla Buttercream on top of each one and shape it with a spoon until it resembles a scoop of real ice cream. Drizzle the buttercream with Chocolate Ganache (make sure it's room temperature, not hotter or colder than that), add the rainbow sprinkles, and place a maraschino cherry on top.