Instructions
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- You will need a 12-hole muffin lined with paper cake cases and a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/Fan200°C, 400°F, gas 6.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda together in a mixing bowl. Stir in the Tate & Lyle Fairtrade Pure Cane Light Brown Soft Sugar and make a well in the centre.
- Beat the banana, Lyle’s Golden Syrup, vanilla extract and eggs together, then lightly mix into the flour mixture. Stir in the melted butter.
- Divide the mixture between the muffin tins filling to half full. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 12 minutes or until well risen and golden. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
- Make the caramel for the buttercream next. Combine the Tate & Lyle Pure Cane Golden Caster Sugar and water in a small wide heavy-based pan over a low heat and stir until dissolved for about 2 minutes. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush down the sugar crystals on the sides of the pan to stop the caramel from crystallising. Increase the heat to moderate and cook the caramel for 7-9 minutes or until rich brown and slightly thickened. Remove, immediately stir in the cream – be careful as it will sputter, then leave to cool completely.
- Cream the butter in a mixing bowl or food processor until soft, then sift over the Tate & Lyle Pure Icing Sugar and mix again until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract and then, by hand, lightly fold in caramel to get a marbled effect. If the caramel has hardened too much just briefly soften it in the microwave to liquefy it again.
Chef's Tip
- Spoon the buttercream into the piping bag, pipe decorative swirls on top of the cupcakes and decorate with the banana slices. Arrange on a plate and serve.
- If you have any leftovers, these banana cupcakes freeze really well (undecorated).
- Similarly to banana loaf, the best kind of bananas for these simple banana cupcakes is over-ripe ones for enhanced taste!
