Banana Brûlée Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Banana Cupcakes:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas about 2 large bananas
- 1/2 cup sour cream
For the Vanilla Custard:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
For the Caramelized Topping:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Preheat and Prepare:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
Make the Banana Cupcakes:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, combine the melted butter and sugar, mixing until smooth.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Stir in the mashed bananas and sour cream.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners.
Bake the Cupcakes:
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the Vanilla Custard:
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Gradually add a small amount of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks to temper them.
- Return the egg mixture to the saucepan, whisking continuously. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the custard is thick and smooth.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and butter.
- Transfer the custard to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap (pressed directly onto the surface), and refrigerate until cool.
Fill and Top the Cupcakes:
- Once the cupcakes are cool, use a small knife or a cupcake corer to remove the centers.
- Fill each cupcake with the chilled vanilla custard. Spread a little extra custard on top to cover the opening.
- Sprinkle a thin, even layer of sugar on top of each cupcake.
Caramelize the Sugar:
- Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar on top of the cupcakes until it forms a golden, crispy shell. If you don’t have a torch, you can place the cupcakes under the broiler for a few seconds, watching them closely.
Serve and Enjoy:
- Serve immediately to enjoy the contrast of the warm, crispy sugar shell and the creamy custard filling.
Notes
Tips
- Banana Ripeness: The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful the cupcakes will be.
- Custard Cooling: Make sure the custard is completely cooled before filling the cupcakes to avoid melting the cupcake base.
- Caramelizing Sugar: Be careful not to burn the sugar topping; it should be golden and crispy, not dark brown.