Baking // Banana, Chocolate & Walnut Monkey Cupcakes

March 2, 2015

I love being set a baking challenge as it makes me think outside my usual baking box and come up with something new. When Banana Moon clothing contacted me to tell me they were looking for bloggers to put together some fun banana based bakes I couldn’t wait to get on board! I love bananas but never usually bake with them so it was really fun to bake cupcakes fit for the cheeky Banana Moon monkeys, and I used their logo to inspire the decoration too. So here is my banana bake: Banana, Walnut and Chocolate Chip Monkey Cupcakes. 

banana-walnut-chocolate-chip-cupcakes

I was really pleased with these cakes as they are just so simple to make and decorate but I think look really fun and impressive, and taste so good (if I do say so myself!) The sponge is really light and fluffy but had nice variants in texture from the melted chocolate and crunchy nuts and the added banana makes them really moist and sweet. Each cupcake is packed with nuts and chocolate chips too which is really nice as no matter which one you pick you still get lots of different flavours and textures coming through.

banana-and-chocolate-cupcakes

banana-muffins

The chocolate decoration makes them really decadent but the cakes would also be super tasty left plain if you wanted a slightly healthier version (hey, bananas are healthy right?!) They’re also super quick and easy to make, as well as being fairly sturdy (as opposed to more delicate butterfly cakes) so would be perfect for whipping up quickly and taking on a road trip (I think these would be an ideal nutritious and delicious festival cake!) 

monkey-cupcakes

monkey-cupcakes

banana-bread-cupcakes

So here you go, here’s how I made them…

INGREDIENTS:

For the cakes:

♥ 2 bananas
♥ 100g salted butter
♥ 175g unrefined golden caster sugar

♥ 225g self-raising flour

♥ 2 eggs

♥ 3 tbsp milk

♥ 1 tsp baking powder

♥ 100g dark chocolate chips

♥ 100g chopped walnuts


For the decoration:

♥ 100g salted butter

♥ 300g icing sugar

♥ 40g cocoa powder
♥ 40ml milk

♥ White chocolate chips

♥ Giant white chocolate buttons

♥ Chocolate icing pens

how-to-bake-banana-bread

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) If your bananas aren’t terribly ripe and like me you just can’t wait to get baking, pop them on a lined baking tray and put them in the oven at 150C for 40 minutes.

how-to-quickly-ripen-bananas

2) The skins should turn a shiny black colour. Take them out the oven and leave them to cool for half an hour.

how-to-quickly-ripen-bananas

3) Then either turn your oven up, or if you already have ripe bananas, pre-heat your oven, to 180C and line your cup cake tin with cases. I went for cute yellow polka dot ones to fit with my banana and monkey theme.

4) Take a large mixing bowl and add your butter, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, milk, chocolate, walnuts and bananas.  If you did ripen your bananas in the oven then just snip off the end and squeeze the banana out a bit like you would with toothpaste. Then use an electric whisk or stand mixer to beat until it’s all smooth and well incorporated.

easy-banana-muffins

easy-banana-cupcakes

5) Fill your cupcake cases with the mixture and leave it to settle for a couple of minutes. Pop the tray in the oven and cook for 25 minutes, until the sponge bounces back and a skewer comes out clean.

baking-banana-cupcakes

6) Leave the cakes to cool in the muffin tin for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

baking-banana-and-chocolate-cupcakes

7) While the cupcakes are cooling it’s time to make the chocolate butter icing. Sieve the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl and then add in the butter. Beat together in a stand mixer or with an electric whisk until it is light and fluffy. Slowly add the milk and then beat quickly for another five minutes.

making-chocolate-butter-icing

8) Once your cupcakes have completely cooled spread over a layer of chocolate icing. It doesn’t have to be too perfect as I think little fluffy uneven bits make for more realistic looking monkey fur!

easy-chocolate-banana-cake

9) Time to add the monkey faces! Start by drawing a little blob on the back of a giant button using the chocolate icing pen and then stick this onto your cupcake. Use the icing pen to then draw on two little nostrils and a smiley mouth.

easy-chocolate-banana-cake

10) Above the giant button add two white chocolate chips with the flat base facing up. Then draw a little pupil on each one. Give the money some ears by cutting a giant button in half and placing each half either side of the face. Ta daahhh! Cheeky monkey banana cupcakes are ready to eat!

monkey-cupcakes

Thanks so much Banana Moon for inviting me to take part in your banana baking challenge! I had so much fun putting together and trying out a new bake and they were a definite hit with my friends and colleagues! Banana Moon sell a huge variety of personalised clothing and although my little monkeys aren’t quite as hip as the one on my new BM apron I think they still look pretty awesome together!

banana-moon-clothing

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What is your favourite banana based bake?

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*Big thanks to Banana Moon for inviting me to take part in their banana baking challenge and giving me a baking set and apron to help me along my way. All thoughts are honest and my own, for more information please see my Disclaimer Page.

10 comments so far.

10 responses to “Baking // Banana, Chocolate & Walnut Monkey Cupcakes”

  1. Lisa says:

    I hate bananas but these are just adorable! I may have to make myself a non-bananaey version.

  2. Janette Garcia says:

    That's so cute and creative, I'd have never thought it would be so adorable and seems so easy too!

  3. Sarah Smiles says:

    These look amazing, I rarely make banana baked goodies but I'll definitely be trying these out! :)Sarah / Sarah Smiles

  4. New Girl in Toon says:

    I will admit I quite often skip reading people's baking posts (because it reminds me how USELESS I am at baking and then I get jealous) but these little guys really caught my attention. They are SO cute, and you've made it all sound quite easy which makes me wonder if even I'd be able to make them!Chloe xnewgirlintoon.co.uk

  5. Rachel Marie says:

    These look adorable and sound so delicious!www.rachelcoco.blogspot.co.uk

  6. VioletDaffodils says:

    Omg these are adorable! I'll definitely keep note of this to try in future 😀 thanks for sharing!VioletDaffodilsxx

  7. Kirsty Baker says:

    Is it just me or do the black bananas actually look really cool? Haha simple things. These sound delicious as I love bananas, chocolate and nuts. They also look the part too! xxwww.kirstytalks.co.uk

  8. Ruth Walters says:

    They are so cute xwww.beauty-billboard.co.uk

  9. Anonymous says:

    omg I love these!! They look so cutee – I would never eat them though as they just look too good for that!Sarahhttps://everydayconcepts.wordpress.com/

  10. Luxury Apartments Lady says:

    These are so cute, they'd be absolutely perfect for a children's party!

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I’m Emma – or Emsypickle!

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I live in Brixton in London. I eat out far too much, am always planning my next trip and have a borderline unhealthy obsession with Harry Potter.

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