Whipped Caramel Filled Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I must have grown up sheltered, because I had never heard of banana cake until just a couple years ago.  It was my father-in-laws birthday and he wanted a banana cake.  So I made him one.  Kinda.  I made up a batch of my delicious Banana Bread and cooked it in a cake pan.  Then I threw a little Vanilla Buttercream Frosting on the top and called it good. :) If only I had know about Pinterest back then!

These Whipped Caramel Filled Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting were my first real attempt at making a banana cake (or cupcakes) and they turned out fantastic!  The baby wouldn't leave them alone and the hubs even had 2!

I hope your Monday is every bit as sweet as these amazing cupcakes!

Cupcakes:

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt OR sour cream

1 egg

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

 
Caramel:
2/3 cup butter
1/3 cup brown sugar

Frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the cupcakes, combine sugar, yogurt OR sour cream, egg, and butter and mix well.  Add mashed bananas and vanilla.  Add flour, salt, and baking soda and mix well.  Pour batter into a muffin pan lined with cupcake liners, filling about 2/3 full.  Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.  Cool completely on a cooling rack.

For the caramel filling, combine brown sugar and butter in a small sauce pan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and brown sugar and butter are well combined.  Let the mixture come to a boil and let boil 1 minute.  Remove from heat and let cool.  When the mixture is completely cooled, beat until light in color, about 5 minutes.  Spoon caramel mixture into a pipping bag that has been fitted with a filling tip.  Insert tip into the center of each cupcake and squeeze out about 1 tablespoon filling.

For the frosting, cream together cream cheese and butter in a medium sized mixing bowl until fluffy; 2 to 3 minutes.  Add vanilla and mix well.  Add powdered sugar and mix until well combined.  Frost cooled, filled cupcakes.

Whipped Caramel Filling and Cream Cheese Frosting recipes from The Royal Cook - originals!

Banana Cupcake recipe adapted from ButterYum.

Linked on Weekend re-Treat, Strut Your Stuff, Tatertots & Jello, Pinworthy Projects, Party in Polka Dots and Manic Monday.