Browned Butter Banana Rum Cupcakes

Makes 16

• 2 cups of flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp rum flavoring or substitute 1/4 cup of the milk with 1/4 cup of rum
• 1 cup milk
• 2 ripe bananas mashed

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325, place cupcake liners in muffin tins
2. Mix dry ingredients and set aside
3. Heat butter on the stove until it melts, stirring constantly. Continue to stir and cook until it becomes a dark golden brown. Strain and cool
4. Mix eggs and sugar until well blended
5. Add browned butter and beat until smooth
6. Add vanilla and rum flavoring
7. Beat in the banana
8. Add the flour in three parts, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the flour
9. Spoon into muffin tins and bake until done, about 20 minutes
10. Cool and frost with Browned Butter Penuche Frosting

Browned Butter Penuche Frosting

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• About 1/4 cup buttermilk, heated
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
• 1 cup coconut

1. Melt butter in pan until it becomes a golden brown
2. Add brown sugar and stir until sugar melts and mixture comes to a boil
3. Remove from heat
4. Stir in hot buttermilk until smooth
5. Let cool
6. Beat in confectioners sugar and vanilla until smooth
7. Stir in coconut and pecans, use a little more buttermilk or confectioners to get the right consistency
8. Add a spoonful to the top of each cupcake and press in a pecan half. Sprinkle with coconut