Hummingbird Cupcakes + Mascapone Frosting
Before I fell in love with cooking I was in a very committed relationship with baking. Cookies, cakes, pies, bread, you name it, I made it. From pretzels to macarons there was nothing I wouldn't attempt. Recently I've been trying to restrict my baking to birthdays, potlucks, or holidays so I don't end up with 243355 leftover cookies and a stomach ache.
But sometimes I just get that baking itch. This always seems to hit me when it's rainy and grey outside. After a week of picture-perfect sunny days, the rain began to fall, and I decided it was time to embark on a baking project. I had the day off, and baking is one of the ways I like to relax and unwind, its just good for my soul.
I had been meaning to try making a hummingbird cake. A classic cake in the Southern United States, consisting of banana, pineapple, and coconut. Southern cooking is known for being indulgent, but my version is definitely lightened-up. The banana and pineapple give a lot of moisture and sweetness so I cut back on the oil and sugar, and substituted half the white flour for whole-grain spelt flour. the result was a very moist cupcake, with a hint of nuttiness and a tender crumb.
To keep these more cupcake-like I added an uber-rich marscapone frosting. Mascapone is like an Italian-style cream cheese, except better. It's got a lighter, whipped consistency that makes it ideal for frosting, but if you are looking for a low-fat desert you could always leave it off or sub in reduced-fat cream cheese.
It feels good to get back to my baking roots, and in true AHA fashion I swiftly gave away the cupcakes to my co-workers, but not without trying one for myself first of course!
Hummingbird Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting
makes 15
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 20 oz can crushed pienapple, well drained
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup spelt flour (or more all-purpose)
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup shredded coconut
For the Mascarpone Frosting
1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese
1 3/4 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1. Preheat the oven to 350. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the oil, eggs, and vanilla until well combined, then add in the mashed banana and crushed pineapple, and stir together until mixed.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients along with the shredded coconut, and stir togetehr until just combined.
4. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and portion the batter into the cups. Bake for about 22 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes then move to a cooling rack.
5. While the cupcakes cool prepare the frosting. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, place the mascarpone, icing sugar, and vanilla extract. Begin mixing at low speed, then increase to medium until ingredients are well blended and creamy.
6. Frost the cooled cupcakes with frosting and serve.