Banana Walnut Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

Funny how having an "all out there" hobby makes giving me gifts so easy for the people I love. My friend Pammy recently gave me this color gel organizer that make picking out colors easy when prepping for tutorials here on my blog. When Kat and Gene found out that I only use a small mixing bowl for all the baking that I do, they went out of their ways to give a nice big mixing bowl that I have been using ever since. Even little Ada gave a very pretty cake stand - which I have to use soon! A special shout out to Malin from giving me those totally adorbs cupcake liners and cute bag with cupcake design! :)

And sometimes, it just warms my heart when people I don't know from Adam would surprise me and send me stuff. You guys are the greatest! Thank you. Imagine my surprise when I received a sweet postcard from Sylvia all the way from Sweden! Then there was Perry who gave me the nicest vanilla beans I have ever seen! Then recently, I received tubs of walnuts from two sweet readers from the United States. I cannot thank you enough... so I made these cupcakes for you. 

I got the recipe from Martha Stewart, but instead of pecans I used walnuts. I love bananas better with walnuts. How about you? Anyway, here's the recipe :)

Banana Walnut Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream
adaptes from MarthaStewart.com

Banana Cupcakes
350F/Makes 28 cupcakes


3 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups very ripe large bananas, mashed 
3/4 cup buttermilk (I used Yakult)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts

Caramel Buttercream

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Here's how:
To make the cupcakes
(1) Sift/dry whisk dry ingredients - flour, baking power, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
(2) Combine all wet ingredients, buttermilk, vanilla and mashed bananas. Set aside.

(3) Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 

(4) Add eggs, one at a time.

(5) Add a third of the dry ingredients into the mixture. Then add a half of the wet ingredients. Repeat until all is combined. 

(6) Fold in the walnuts. 

To make the Caramel Buttercream
(1) Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan.

(2) Bring 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons sugar to a boil until the color turns to amber.

(3) Turn off the heat and add cream. Let it cool, set aside. 

(4) Combine egg whites and 1/2 cup sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves.Egg white mixture should reach 160 degrees on a candy thermometer before removing from heat. The mixture should not be grainy when you rub it between your fingers. Let it cool to room temperature.

(5) Once cooled, mix until stiff peaks form. Add butter, small amounts at a time mixing well after each addition. Note, at some point the buttercream will curdle but don't be disheartened, okay?Continue mixing until it becomes smooth again. :) Whisk in vanilla. 

(6) Add in the cooled caramel. Optional to leave some caramel to drizzle then on top of the frosted cupcakes.