RECIPE: Banana Flambé Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes or 48 mini cupcakes

INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp butter

¼ cup brown sugar

2 ripe large bananas, peeled and sliced in thirds lengthwise

¼ cup dark rum

1 tsp orange zest (from blood orange)

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sour cream

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ cup milk

¾ cup sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temperature

Frosting

1 cup powdered sugar

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup caramel sauce (recipe follows)

Caramel Sauce

½ cup light brown sugar

¼ cup whipping cream

¼ tsp salt

Blood Orange Reduction

1 large blood orange

Garnish

Toasted hazelnuts

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PREPARATION

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12 standard-sized cupcake pan with paper liners or coat 4 mini-cupcake pans with cooking spray.
   

2. In a medium-sized sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the zest and brown sugar and cook until the sugar caramelized. Add the bananas, cut side down, and sauté until they are very soft and browned. Remove the pan from the stove. Add the rum and return to the heat.
   

3. Ignite with a match and cook until the flame dies out. Remove from heat, scrape the banana and all the caramelized juices into a bowl, mash until smooth and cool completely.
   

4. In a bowl mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
   

5. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla into the mashed bananas.
   

6. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and egg yolk and beat until well blended.
   

7. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with banana-sour cream mixture in 2 additions. When adding the 2nd banana mixture, also add the milk. Finish by adding the last one-third of the flour mixture. Do not overbeat the mixture – just mix in the ingredient till just blended.
   

8. Divide the batter among the cupcake pan(s), to fill ½ to two-thirds way. Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center of each comes out clean, about 20 minutes for standard cupcake and 8-10 minutes for mini-cupcakes.
   

9. Transfer cupcakes to rack and cool completely.

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Salted Caramel

Add the brown sugar and cream to a saucepan. Place over medium heat and whisk gently until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat the medium-high and cook until large bubbles form and the mixture thickens and is smooth – about 5 to 8 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the salt and whisk again. Cool completely and set aside.

Salted Caramel Frosting

Sift the powdered sugar into large bowl. Add cream cheese and butter and beat until smooth. Add the salted caramel and again until smooth. Excess caramel frosting can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before using.

Reduction Sauce

In a small, heavy-bottom saucepan bring the blood orange juice to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low and reduce until the juice is syrupy. You should have about 2 tablespoons. Strain though a fine-mesh sieve and cool.