Banana Caramel Cupcakes
Banana Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream
3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising),1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda,3/4 teaspoon baking powder,3/4 teaspoon salt,1 teaspoon ground cinnamon,6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened,1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar,3 large eggs,4 very ripe large bananas, mashed (about 2 cups), plus sliced bananas for garnish,3/4 cup buttermilk,1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract,1 cup chopped pecans,Caramel buttercream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
Reduce speed to low. Mix mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla in a bowl. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with wet ingredients and ending with dry. Scrape sides of bowl. Stir pecans into batter. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks. (Unfrosted cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.) Once cupcakes are cool, frost tops with caramel buttercream. Frosted cupcakes will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 days. Top with banana slices before serving.