Choconana cupcakes

So I go into my kitchen and start getting all my ingredients ready to make my Banana Muffins, cuz they were just so good that I wanted more. Lots more. So I get my banana’s and butter and sugar and I go to get the flour. Wait. Where’s the flour?! WHERES THE FLOUR?!?! Ok so I’m all out of flour. No banana muffins but then, like a ray of golden sunlight, I spy with my little eye something…. chocolatey. Yes, I had found a box of chocolate cake mix. Eureka! And so, Choconana Cupcakes were born. And let me tell you, Semi-Homemade just got SOOO much better. Moist and delicious, 24 of these little cakes just is not enough. Instead of Frosting I served a la mode with a scoop of strawberry ice cream. Its like a banana split

Yields 24 cupcakes

1 Chocolate Cake Mix (Recommended: Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge)

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/3 cups water or milk

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter (or margerine)

3 ripe banana’s

3 Cardamom seeds (optional)

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp vanilla sugar

3 tbsp Shredded Coconut (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Melt the butter in a sauce pan with the Cardamom seeds. They have a great scent and flavor, and add a little extra something to the cupcakes in the background. Let the seeds toast and the butter to brown.

Mash the 3 banana’s in a bowl. When the butter browns and you can smell the cardamom, remove the seeds and add 1/2 the bananas, the honey, 1 tbsp coconut, and the vanilla sugar, and allow to cook together and brown for about 5-7 min, until the banana’s brown a bit and develop some flavor. Then turn off and remove from heat.

While that cooks, add the 3 eggs and water to the remaining banana’s in the bowl. Whisk until well blended. Add the cake mix & baking powder, and incorporate, then add the butter/banana mix and whisk until you have a smooth and even batter.

Line muffin tins with cupcake paper and spray with non stick cooking spray. If you don’t have enough cupcake tins you can do this in batches with the remaining batter kept in the fridge till you’re ready for it. Spoon the batter into the cupcake papers, about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way up the paper. Top with some of the remaining shredded coconut and bake at 350F for  ~20-25 min. You want a toothpick inserted into the cupcakes to be dry but its ok if crumbs stick to it.

Enjoy!!