Roasted Banana Cupcakes with Banana Rum (Dairy Free) Frosting

My parents just got back from visiting my little niece in another state. I can't admit to competing with a 3 year old, but I was really excited to go out on the town with my mom after she returned. Last night, we made it happen. We ended up hitting the Kohls (I'm in search of a lime green necklace that I like, not exactly what I would expect to find on store shelves in November, but still...) and trying on armfulls of clothes.

Mom went home with a winter-white cardigan, a floaty shirt with a blue patter on it, and a brown flowered shirt. I scored a pink ruffled shirt (at mega discount), a winter-white corduroy jacket (yippee!), and a blue patterned long-sleeve tee. No lime green necklace, but the time with my mom was really the treat of the evening. The more we spend time together, the more I see myself in her. Thankfully, she's great, so I'm not afraid of what I see.

These banana cupcakes also got sent home with my mom, in large quantities. She and my dad were able to take care of a large number of them, which the husband and I greatly appreciated.

Oh, and stayed tuned. I plan on sharing some wedding pictures this week.

Last Year: Cookies at home. Yes please.

Two Years Ago: Crispy Potato Skins

Three Years Ago: Almond Poppy Seed Muffins

Roasted Banana Cupcakes with Banana Rum (Dairy Free) Frosting
adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
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These cupcakes turn out fluffy, moist, and with good structure. The separating of the eggs, mixing the yolks into the other ingredients and then whipping the whites and folding them into the batter helps with the lift and structure of the cupcakes. It's easy to want to sidestep this part, but it really makes a difference!

Rum flavoring in the frosting is one of the best possible combinations with the deeper flavor of the roasted bananas.

3 roasted bananas*
2/3 cup sorghum flour
2/3 cup millet flour
2/3 cup tapioca starch
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*Roasting bananas: Place bananas, with peel on, on a cookie sheet. In an oven preheated to 350 degrees, roast the bananas for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for a while, until they can be handled.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with papers. Roast bananas as shown above. In a medium bowl, sift together the sorghum flour, millet flour, tapioca starch, baking soda, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum. Remove the bananas from the oven and let them cool.

With a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, cream shortening and sugar until it's fluffy. Add egg yolks from separated eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Add the roasted, peeled bananas and beat to combine. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of sour cream, and beating until combined. Add vanilla.

In another mixing bowl, whip the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold one third of the whites into the batter to lighten it. Gently fold in the remaining whites in two more batches.

Divide the batter in the muffin cups, filling about three quarters full. Bake the cupcakes about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Then, remove the cupcakes from the muffin pan and place on a cooling rack until they are cool.

Prepare the frosting. Pipe or spread the frosting on the cupcakes and serve.

Banana Rum Frosting
1 ripe banana
imitation rum flavoring
Butter-flavored Crisco
powdered sugar
coconut milk

My awesome friend A is the author of the rum frosting recipe, and she really knows how it works. She hardly even measures. Just keeps changing what's going on in the stand mixer, and eventually there was an amazing frosting coming out of the mixer. So, if you're that person, the one that makes it appear, have at it. If not, well, I'll try and explain.

With about 1/3 cup butter-flavored Crisco, start whipping. Add in flavoring and 3 cups of powdered sugar. Slowly add alternating amounts of powdered sugar (to thicken), and coconut milk (to thin) the frosting. Toss in about half a chopped ripe banana for additional flavor.