A Small Treat: Banoffee Cupcakes

Banoffee pie is generally accepted to have been invented in 1972 in the owner and chef of a local restaurant in East Sussex. The two men we have to thank are Ian Dowding and Nigel Mackenzie. Dowding thought of the idea after seeing a similar recipe in the US and when he returned they adapted it to use toffee and banana, and the dessert became an instant hit.

Since it’s first inception banoffee pie has been played with and enhanced. This recipe for example has been taken from the original idea and changed around a bit to produce a smaller, but (I think) equally as tasty treat. A large slice of banoffee pie can be a little filling so this is probably a happy medium – a banoffee cupcake.

Ingredients:

2 very ripe banana, 1 normal banana, an egg, 50g toffee, 60g butter, 115g self-raising flour, 70g sugar (brown), 180ml double cream, 4 tbls of Dulce de Leche / chocolate sprinkles for decoration.

1. Pre heat the oven to 180C and as it heats mash the over ripe banana

2. Put the butter into a bowl (it will be easier if it’s soft, so leave it out for a few hours or microwave for 20 seconds). Pour in the sugar and whisk up nicely.

3. Cut the toffee into small cubes and add to the mixture. Then add the egg and banana paste. Whisk it all together until you have a smooth mixture with toffee lumps.

4. Now add the flour, removing all lumps. Fold it in and again mix well.

5. With a greased muffin tray scoop the mixture into each cupcake holder. Place it in the preheated oven and keep an eye on them. After 15 minutes they should be almost ready – they’ll be ready when you can push a knife into the centre of one and it comes out clean.

6. At this point take some time out to lick the bowl clean.

7. Remove the cupcakes from the muffin tray and place on a wire rack. While you let them cool pour the double cream into another bowl and whip until stiff. Add to the cakes for decoration.

8. With the cream on place feel free to stick anything you like in it – the second banana, some rolls of chocolate, some Dulce de Leche – you might even want to stick in a few Smarties!

For more history and another great banoffee pie recipe click the link!