Banana Cream Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 large bananas)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 recipe easy vanilla pastry cream, recipe follows
• 2 bananas, sliced
Easy Vanilla Pastry Cream
• 2 (3.5 oz) boxes instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. In a small bowl mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy about 3 - 4 minutes. Mix in egg and vanilla. Add mashed bananas and stir until combine. Mix in the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk. Pour 1/4 cup mixture into greased muffin cups or paper muffin cups. Bake for 22-24 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and let muffins cool in muffin pan 5 minutes, then remove from muffin pan and let cool 30 minutes on a wire cooling rack. Pipe vanilla pastry cream on top of muffins and refrigerate until ready to serve. Place banana slices on top immediately before serving.
Easy Vanilla Pastry Cream
• In a medium mixing bowl whisk together all ingredients about 2 minutes until very thick. Refrigerate mixture about 30 minutes until fully set. Stir once more to remove clumps.