Banana Blueberry Cupcakes

First I would like to point everyone to my RECIPE INDEX (A-Z). This is my little pride and joy. If any of you use blogger then you know how hard it is to do this, not hard just alot of manually hours. I try an update this list once a month, I wish I did better, but time just slips away. I do LOVE LOVE my recipe index, and I use it ALL the time at home when I am looking for a recipe. I hope you all enjoy it and get some use out of it too, go on take a look there may just be a recipe from awhile ago that catches your eye!

MOMS CRAZY COOKING RECIPE INDEX (alpha list)

Muffin or Cupcake? That is the question. These are just like a muffin, taste almost like a muffin, but yet it has that cupcake texture and of course it has frosting on it too. They are Banana Blueberry Cupcakes, yep they are! And if you have some bananas laying around that need to be baked into something (like I often do), then this recipe is just what you need. I was in search of some recipes that I could use ripe bananas in, instead of making Banana Bread, that my family does NOT like. I've already blogged a few now; Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies, Banana Pancakes, Banana Muffins with Lemon Icing and one of my favorites is Gluten-Free Banana Doughnuts with Banana Frosting, and now I have a new one these cupcakes.

This recipe was featured as a TOP PICK for THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS: Blueberries and it's from a blog I just adore, The Farm Girl. I love all her recipes, we obviously think and bake alike.

I have to share this coolest trick ever! I have always hated making Blueberry muffins because they turn out purple. I found this new trick and I LOVE IT! Take about 1 to 2 tsp of flour and coat the frozen blueberries separately before mixing them into the batter. It works like a charm.

Banana Blueberry Cupcakes
original recipe found at The Farm Girl

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)

3 cup flour

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 lemon, juiced and zested (the zest is for the frosting)

1-1/2 cup milk

2 cup blueberries, washed and picked over

extra blueberries and sliced almonds for garnish

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line your cupcake pans with liners. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer) cream the butter with the sugars. Blend in the eggs one at a time, and whip until creamy. Add the vanilla as well as the bananas. Mix until creamy. Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir the mixture roughly, but do not combine completely.

In a large measuring cup, mix the lemon juice with the milk. (Reserve the lemon zest for the frosting.) With the mixer running, slowly pour the milk into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Mix until smooth. Fold in the blueberries, but first add in a tsp of flour to your blueberries. Using a large scoop, fill your cupcake pans 2/3 full.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan and then remove to cooling rack and cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

I used my own favorite cream cheese frosting for this recipe, not the original recipe used by The Farm Girl. This is NOW my one and only recipe for any cream cheese frosting  I need! (LOVE IT!)

6 oz cream cheese - softened

3/4 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Mix all together in mixer and blend until fluffy, add in the reserved lemon zest and a pinch of salt for this recipe! Spread on cupcakes and garnish with blueberries.

Just FYI: I freeze all my muffins and for some reason these do NOT freeze well.