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Banana Brûlée Cupcakes

Course Dessert

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.