Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World‘s Banana Split Cupcakes

This is pretty much the best cupcake ever to make for someone’s birthday. I mean, look at it:

Banana Split Cupcake from “Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World”

So, yesterday was my friend Lucy’s birthday. Happy Birthday, Lucy!  These cupcakes are kind of the best thing ever: banana cupcake, with cherry fruit preserves and chocolate bits swirled into the top, then topped with vegan vanilla buttercream, walnuts, sprinkles, chocolate ganache and a cherry on top. Definitely time consuming, but not particularly difficult.

Recipe :: Banana Split Cupcakes
makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cherry preserves
• 1/2 cup very ripe banana
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2/3 cup soy/rice/your favorite milk
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 cup finely chopped chocolate

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F and get your cupcake liners of choice ready. Stir cherry preserves in a small saucepan over low heat until melty and pour easily when scooped up with a spoon.

In a small bowl, mash bananas until very smooth. Add wet ingredients: canola oil, soy milk, vanilla and almond extracts, and mix well. Sift together dry ingredients–flour, sugar, baking soda and powder, and salt. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients. Fold wet into dry until just combined. Never overmix your cupcakes!

Fill liners two-thirds full and top with one teaspoon each of the cherry preserves and chopped chocolate. Swirl the top with a toothpick or small knife.

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until knife/toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting with your frosting of choice.