Nutella Ganache puts a new spin on Old Fashioned Banana Cupcake Recipe that your kids will love, not to mention everyone other chocolate lover your life.
I don't know about your kids, but the kids in my life are obsessed with Nutella. We put it on everything from grilled cheese sandwiches to morning toast! It is especially good on my family's Old Fashioned Banana Cupcake Recipe. And talk about easy! Just heat the cream in your microwave, stir in the Nutella and you've got frosting!. Yep. It's that easy. No sifting powdered sugar, no powdered sugar “dust” all over the kitchen, no waiting for the butter or cream cheese to soften-just heat and stir.
This particular banana cake recipe has been in my family forever! Or, at least since before I was born. I hope you realize that I risk loosing my family inheritance by sharing this recipe with you and EVERYONE on the “World Wide Web.” There are certain family recipes that you are not allowed to share. I'm sure you have a few of those in your family, too. But, let's throw caution to the wind! This banana cake recipe is just too good to keep a secret. So, at the risk of being banished to the “Kid's Table” on Thanksgiving, I'd like to share it with you.
This is my great aunt's recipe and is really the best banana cake ever. It is usually served with a fluffy, cream cheese icing that is loaded calories. The Nutella Gancahe is much lighter and, if nothing else, it is a much thinner portion of frosting.
I have turned the cake into a banana cupcake recipe here but, you can bake the recipe in a “smaller” 9 by 9 inch cake pan. And, if you double the recipe (and we always do) it will bake in a 9 by 13 pan. Baking it in its original cake form does make it even faster to bake, there are no cupcake papers to deal with or tiny little things to frost, you can just smother the whole pan in Nutella Ganache and serve.
The bonus to the cupcakes is portion control! And believe me, you are going to need it!
Tips for Nutella Ganache: The Nutella will not harden as stiffly as regular, solid chocolate such as chocolate bars or chocolate chips. If you would like it to be firmer, add 2 ounces of chocolate chips to the recipe. Just heat the cream and add the chocolate chips first. Stir until melted and then add the Nutella. Increase the amount of cream by one ounce, as well.
Let the cupcakes sit for about 20 to 30 minutes before serving so that the Nutella Ganche will firm up.
I hope you love this recipe as much as my family does but, if you are not ready to bake them right this second, you can “bookmark” this page to save the recipe or pin it on Pinterest for later.
If you have any questions or a comment, be sure to get in touch with us by leaving a comment on this post or on Facebook. Don't forget to follow Kristina on Facebook for more great tips and recipes. You can find me at home on EverydaySouthwest.com
- 2/3 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 cup pecans, diced (optional)
- cupcake papers
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup Nutella
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Chopped hazelnuts or almonds for garnish (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Beat the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla.
- Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in three batches.
- Fold in the bananas and pecans.
- Place cupcake papers in a muffin tin and spoon the banana batter into the papers.
- Bake until the cupcakes spring back when touched, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven a cool.
- For the frosting, heat the cream in the microwave until little bubbles appear.
- Pour the cream over the Nutella and stir well to mix.
- Stir the butter into the Nutella and cream just until melted and glossy.
- Remove the paper from the cupcakes. Pour the ganache into a shallow dish and dip the top of the cupcakes unto the ganache. Hold the cupcake upside down for a few seconds to allow the excess to drip off. Or, leave the papers on and spoon the ganache over the top of the cupcakes.
- Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts or almonds, if desired.