Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes

Yes, you read that correctly! A banana cream pie cupcake! My mother said she was going to be making a banana cream pie for Christmas dinner dessert, and I thought "How cool would it be to have a banana cream pie cupcake?!" I searched some of my favorite web pages for a good recipe. I found one that looked good and added a garnish. I shared these cupcakes with my family and a few coworkers. One coworker described this little cup of cake as "banana bread on crack!" I think that about sums it up! These were a hit with EVERYONE who tried them!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup mashed bananas
Graham crackers for garnish

Banana Filling:
1 pkg instant banana pudding (I used banana cream pudding)
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla

Vanilla Frosting:
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding
1 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
8 oz. whipped cream
1/4 cup confectioners sugar

**Make filling and icing ahead of time. They take about 30 minutes to thicken. You may have to use a little more confectioners sugar in the icing. Mine was a little thinner than I liked, but tasted great.**

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. In one bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt

3. In a separate bowl cream together sugar and butter until fluffy

4. Add eggs and vanilla to sugar mixture

5. Add flour mixture alternating sour cream and bananas to the sugar mixture until just mixed

6. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 of the way full

7. Bake for about 17 minutes (mine took exactly 17 minutes)

8. Cool completely before filling and icing

9. Cut out the middle of the cupcake with a paring knife in a cone shape and pipe in banana filling

10. Cover the filling with the cupcake that you cut out

11. Frost the cupcakes

12. Garnish with bananas, graham crackers, or whatever you like

13. ENJOY!!!

*To make the banana filling, mix all ingredients together and refrigerate.*

*To make the icing, mix ingredients together and then fold in the cool whip.*