If you were lucky enough to meet Max Shapiro you knew that he loved food, and all kinds, it didn’t matter what it was. One of his favorites though was bananas, and my family used to joke that he was probably half monkey. Like most dogs that like to eat, Max figured out a way to break into our kitchen cabinets and steal whatever he could find. A couple years ago, we caught him out in the back yard with a Frosted Flakes box stuck on his head, because he devoured the entire box! I came up with this recipe for Banana Cupcakes with Frosted Flakes, in Max’s honor. He would have loved them… and probably would have eaten them all, straight off the counter.
A vanilla cake is filled with pieces of real banana, and baked until light and fluffy. They’re soft and light, unlike it’s cousin the banana bread. Top with a whipped cream frosting and a sprinkle of Frosted Flakes for a little added crunch. Don’t skimp on the Frosted Flake sprinkles… Maxie never would! For a handheld treat that takes the cake, try these cute confections – Max would have loved them.
RIP Maxie, I love you!
Ingredients:
Banana Cake
1 Box of Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Butter Cake
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 stick of softened butter
3 large eggs
2/3 cup water
Whipped Cream Frosting
1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
Frosted Flakes cereal for topping
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Mash bananas and set aside. Mix cake mix as directed on the back of the box. Fold in mashed bananas into cake batter. Pour batter into baking cups that have been placed in your cupcake tins. Bake as directed on the box and let cool.
2. For frosting, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on medium speed until smooth. While the mixture is still whipping, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl a couple of times while you continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak. Pipe on to cupcakes and sprinkle with Frosted Flakes cereal.
