a millygram of sugar

banana cupcakes with bailey's buttercream

My grandmother lives in Australia and whenever we go to visit, she would always make a banana milkshake for me. I love her banana milkshakes! I don't know whether it's the bananas or the milk there, or perhaps the heartwarming feeling of eating grandma's cooking, but her milkshakes always taste so much better than if I were to do it myself.

• Mash the bananas in a bowl and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 175°C.
• Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
• Add in the vanilla extract and mix well.
• Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and eggs and mix until well-combined.
• Add in the mashed bananas and continue mixing.
• Fill cupcake liners with mixture until ~¾ full
• Bake for 15-20min until you can smell the cupcake aroma from the oven, the tops have turned golden brown, and toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.

• Pour egg whites and sugar into a clean, heatproof bowl and heat over a saucepan of simmering water, whisking the egg and sugar constantly so it does not curdle.
• Continue whisking until mixture reaches 70°C.
• Remove from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl with whisk attachment
• Whisk until soft (not stiff yet), glossy peaks form and mixture has cooled to room temperature.
• Add in the Baileys a little bit at time, whisking well between additions.
• Change to paddle attachment, add in the butter and beat until it reaches frosting consistency. (Refer to this post for greater detail)
• Taste the buttercream--you can still add in more Bailey's if you wish.
• Frost as desired.