Banana infused Cream
 

• The banana-infused cream you will need to make the day before you make the banana cupcakes to get the ultimate banana flavor. I use 850 grams of heavy cream to make this recipe because when you steep the bananas in the warm cream, the amount of the cream will be less.
   
• Slice two very ripe bananas and place them into a heatproof glass bowl.
   
• In a medium saucepan, combine 850 gram heavy cream and 1-2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, give it a quick whisk.
   
• Place the saucepan over low-medium heat, bring to a simmer, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or just until it starts to boil.
   
• Remove from heat and pour over the sliced bananas, make sure to get all the gooey vanilla bean paste that often settles in the bottom of the saucepan in the bowl as well.
   
•  Cover directly with plastic wrap right on top, touching the surface of the cream. This will prevent skin from forming. 
   
• Refrigerate the banana cream mixture for 12 to 24 hours for optimal banana flavor.
   
• →The next day, about one hour before you make these banana cupcakes. Take the cold banana-infused cream out of the fridge, strain the banana cream into a large bowl, discard the solids in the sieve.
   
• For the cupcake batter, you will need 300 grams of the banana-infused cream; make sure to have this at room temp at least →1 hour before you make the banana cupcakes.
   
• Place the rest of the banana-infused cream into the fridge. This is going to be reserved for the → whipped banana cream/topping.

Banana Cupcakes
 

• The temperature of your butter is often the key to proper mixing. If your butter is too cold, it won’t whip up light enough; but if it’s too soft, it can’t hold enough air to leave a cupcake. You will know it’s right if it is soft but still holds its shape when you pick it up. If the butter droops or your finger melts right into it, it’s too soft.  If you can easily press your fingers into the butter, it's too cold. Cutting the butter into small pieces will help to warm faster too.
   
• Make sure your eggs and banana-infused cream is at room temp; You don’t want to add cold eggs or cold cream to perfectly whipped butter, or the butter will seize, and you’ll lose the fluffy air you created. If your eggs are not at room temperature when you are ready to mix your cupcake batter, warm them in the shell by placing the eggs in a bowl of hot tap water for 5 minutes before starting this recipe.
   
• Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Line two 12-cup muffin pans with standard-size cupcake liners and set them aside. 
   
• In a large bowl, sift together 290 grams of all-purpose flour and 3 teaspoon of baking powder; sifting the dry ingredients together not only eliminates lumps but also evenly distributes the leavening agent's trough out, giving you more fluffy cupcakes. Add the superfine sugar and whisk together. Set aside for now.
   
• Add 200 gram unsalted butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or use the paddle attachment instead. It's super-tempting to turn the mixer on high speed and let it whip the butter but resist the urge. If you mix on medium-speed instead. You’ll get smaller air bubbles in the mixture; these will be stronger and create a far superior cupcake texture. It may take some extra minutes, but the cupcake will be worth it.
   
• Mix the butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. ( this takes about 5 minutes) Make sure to stop the mixer at times and take time to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl and also shake out the butter that collects inside your whisk as well. For this cupcake recipe, it is so important to take the time to properly cream the butter do not rush this through this process. This process will give you a tender and velvety cupcake.
   
• As soon as the butter is properly creamed, add the flour /sugar mixture, all of the eggs, the banana-infused cream, and the vanilla bean paste to the creamed butter mixture.
  With the mixer on the lowest setting, beat slowly for only → 10 seconds. You want to mix as little as possible so you don’t get the gluten all excited.
   
• Stop the mixer scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl again, shake out the batter that collects inside your whisk as well. Attach the whisk attachment again.
   
• With the mixer on the lowest setting, ( with about 10 high-speed pulses in between) mix until well incorporated, and until all traces of egg have disappeared but not more than → 20 seconds altogether.
   
• Remove the bowl from the mixer, Use your spatula, scrape the side and bottom of the bowl to incorporate any dry ingredients that may have settled there. Combine with your spatula
   
• Using an ice cream scooper with a trigger release, scoop the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each three-fourths full. Be careful not to overfill.
   
• If time permits; let the batter rest for → 20 minutes, it makes for better cupcakes. ( optional) otherwise, proceed as directed.
   
• Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out mostly clean but still moist. 
   
• Let them cool in their pans for a few minutes, then quickly remove the cupcakes from their pans and allow them to completely cool on a wire rack before filling/frosting.
   
• Lightly cover the cupcakes with foil or plastic wrap so they do not dry out.
   
• Without frosting, these cupcakes can be reheated in the microwave for a few seconds and will give you a warm and delicious banana cupcake just as they come straight from the oven. 
   

Directions for the whipped banana cream
 

• Once the banana cupcakes have cooled make the whipped banana cream / Frosting.
   
• Take the remaining cold banana-infused cream out of the fridge add the powdered sugar.
   
• Using an electric beater whip on low speed for a minute, then turn the mixer up to medium speed and whip until fluffy and thick. About 3-4 minutes
   
• Use a spatula and stir the cream by hand to thicken it for 10-20 seconds. It gives more control over the texture. Loosely whipped cream is always more luxurious than a cream that has been whipped too long.
   
•  To decorate cupcakes I whip it to a firmer stage ( stiff peaks) so that it will sit on top of the cupcake. If you do over-whip the cream slightly, so it begins to turn a bit bumpy, just add 1 to 2 tablespoon fresh cream and whisk lightly to smooth it out. 
   
• Use the banana-infused vanilla bean whipped cream immediately to decorate your cupcakes. 
   
• Fit a pastry bag with a Wilton #1G nozzle ( if you like to make the same design on the cupcake as I have as shown in the picture above) swipe left to see a short video how I pipe this design onto the cupcake.
   
• Or use an ice cream scoop and scoop a generous amount of the whipped banana cream on top of each cupcake as seen in the picture above for an old-fashion/ vintage look on this cupcake and finish it off with some colorful confetti on top.
   
• The banana cupcake and the whipped banana cream have such a magical banana flavor, I hope you love it as much as I do.