Banana Cupcakes

Mmmm! This is my most requested recipe to date by my kids – many times by my picky son for his classroom snack! The original recipe came from a recipe book that my mother used while I was young. I believe my grandmother gave the book, the Pennsylvania Grange Cookbook, to her when my parents were newlyweds! It's one of those cookbooks that clubs and groups put together with members contributing the recipes. This compiled cookbook was first published in 1972!

It is full of old fashioned goodness before the downfall of shortening and sugar. The original recipe is sinfully delicious! Sweet, buttery, fine crumb cake with a hint of banana. I don't ever remember my mother using frosting as called for in the recipe.

It's a great recipe. Over the years I have made hundreds of cupcakes and the recipe is very flexible - I have made the cupcakes with ½ the sugar; part wheat flour; applesauce for part of the fat; added citrus flavors; used plain yogurt instead of buttermilk; used flavored yogurt; soy milk instead of the buttermilk; added crushed flax seed… It will even take up to a cup of additions such as chocolate chips, nuts, raisens, oats… double it with no problems!

Here's my modified version of the original recipe that I use most often…

½ cup sugar
½ cup butter (1 stick, room temperature)
1 tsp. vanilla (any flavored extract or oil)
2 medium eggs
2 cups of unbleached flour (or half wheat)
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
about 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 medium)
¼ cup yogurt (without gelatin)
½ cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375°F (about 190°C) and place papers into muffin pan or grease muffin cups.
1. Sift baking soda, salt and baking powder into flour; set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar till smooth; add vanilla.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add dry ingredients and bananas and yogurt alternately, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate chips.
5. Fill muffin cups ½ full for flatter tops, ¾ for full tops.
6. Bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly golden on top.

Makes about 21 cupcakes with additions.
Enjoy!


The original Banana Cupcakes recipe from the 1972 Pennsylvania State Grange sent in by Mrs. R. Paul Grim of the Virginville Grange No. 1832:

1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup short.
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 ¼ cups sifted cake flour
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 cup mashed bananas
¼ cup buttermilk

Cream shortening and vanilla; add sugar gradually, creaming till light. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together dry ingredients and add alternately with mashed bananas and milk to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Fill greased or paper lined cup cake pans ½ full. Bake in moderate oven at 375° F for 20 min. or till done. Cool and frost.