Banana Pecan Cupcakes

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 2 dozen muffins

 1/2 cup butter
 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
 2 teaspoons baking soda
 2 teaspoons baking powder
 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
 1 cup white sugar
 2 eggs
 1/2 cup canola oil
 1/3 cup applesauce
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 3 cups mashed ripe bananas
 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 1 cup chopped pecans

Frosting:

 1/2 cup butter, softened
 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
 4 cups confectioners' sugar
 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place muffin liners into two 12-cup muffin tins.

2-Beat 1/2 cup butter and 1 package cream cheese together in a bowl until creamy and smooth; slowly beat in brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Stir in canola oil and applesauce; mix well. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until just combined. Stir in bananas and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; fold in pecans. Fill muffin liners 2/3 full with batter.

3-Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 28 to 33 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.


4-Beat 1/2 cup butter and 1 package cream cheese together in a bowl until creamy; mix in confectioners' sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until frosting is smooth. Frost the cooled cupcakes.