Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting & Sweet Designs Giveaway
Today is an exciting day! Amy Atlas’s book, Sweet Designs, hits the book shelves. I got my book last week and I am in love! Amy’s book is filled with over 175 recipes and dessert displays that are easy to create at home. There are so many fun and creative ideas in Sweet Designs, I want to have a party every day! Amy’s dessert tables are fabulous! I didn’t have time to create an entire table yet, but soon! I couldn’t wait to try one of Amy’s recipes though-the book is filled with lots and lots of sugary sweets. My kind of book:) I made Amy’s Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, one of the recipes included in the Pastel Pretty party. I love all things pastel and Amy’s Pastel Pretty Party is perfection…and so are the Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.
The banana cupcakes are simple to make, which makes them perfect party food. The banana cupcakes are super moist thanks to the bananas and sour cream and are topped with cream cheese frosting. These classic cupcakes are sure to be a hit at any party. Amy jazzes the cupcakes up with licorice pastel candies. Since I still have multiple bags of Easter M&M’s lying around the house, I used Easter M&M’s. I knew loading up on the after Easter candy sales would come in handy:)
The Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting are a reason to have a party on their own, but Amy’s Pastel Pretty table is filled with pretty pastel treats. A few of the sweets include: vanilla cake, pound cake bites, sugar cookies, eclairs, and cotton candy sticks. Oh, and did I mention Amy created a tablecloth made with Necco Wafers? Genius! I can’t wait to have my own Pastel Pretty party!
Sweet Designs is filled with lots of party planning ideas, crafts, recipes, and tips. All of the dessert tables are spectacular! And don’t worry if you are not crafty or creative, Amy makes party planning easy! So before you plan your next party, pick up a copy of Sweet Designs. Amy will help make your party a smashing success!
UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed! The winner is Kelly @ Studio DIY (#149). Thanks to everyone who entered!
And good news-we are giving away a copy of Sweet Designs to one lucky reader! Yahoo!
To enter to win a copy of Sweet Designs, leave a comment on this post telling us “What is your favorite kind of party to throw? (birthday, Super Bowl, 4th of July, Halloween, New Year’s Eve, etc.)
To earn additional entries, leave separate comments for each of the steps below:
1. Tweet about this giveaway using the following tweet: “I want to win a copy of @amyatlas ‘s amazing new book, Sweet Designs, from @TwoPeasandPod: http://bit.ly/JrAcq6
2. Share the link to this giveaway post on your Facebook page.
3. Follow Two Peas and Their Pod on Pinterest.
The giveaway is open until Friday, April 27th, 11:59 MST. The giveaway is only open to U.S. residents (18 years old or older). Be sure a valid email address is included with your comment(s). Winner will be chosen randomly and announced on this post. We will email the winner and if the winner doesn’t respond in 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!
Now, go buy the book, start party planning, and make these Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting. They are delicious! And make sure you check out these fabulous blog posts about Sweet Designs from some of my favorite food blogging friends! You are in for a real treat-more tasty recipes and giveaways are in store!
- The Sweet Adventures of Sugarbelle: Amy Atlas Book Giveaway
- TidyMom: Honey Panna Cotta
- Sweetapolita: Pink Eclairs
- Sweetopia: Chocolate Beehive Cupcakes
- i am baker: Chocolate Cupcakes
- My Baking Addiction: Banana Whoopie Pies
- Bakingdom: Mini Strawberry Trifles
- Bake at 350: Hazelnut Truffles
Amy Atlas is kindly providing a copy of Sweet Designs for this giveaway, but our opinions are our own.
Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Yield: 12 cupcakes
Cook Time: 18-20 minutes
Banana cupcakes with cream cheese frosting-perfect for parties or an every day treat!
Ingredients:
For the banana cupcakes:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 ripe medium bananas, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extractFor the Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar
Pastel candy or sprinkles for decorating, optional ( I used Easter M&M's)Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and continue to beat, adding one egg at a time until thoroughly combined. Add the sour cream and bananas and mix until combined.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add flour mixture to the mixer and beat until just smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat until just combined.
3. Fill each cup about 2/3 of the way full with the batter and bake, rotating halfway through, until the cupcakes are golden and a cake tester inserted int he middle comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
4. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the frosting onto each cupcake. Using an offset spatula and holding the cupcake in your hand, spread the frosting on in swirls by turning the cupcake in your hand. Ring each cupcake with pastel candies or sprinkles, if using. Serve immediately or store in an air tight container and refrigerate up to 3 days.
Print
Save
Welcome to Two Peas and Their Pod. We share a love of cooking, baking, and entertaining. We enjoy creating recipes that are simple, fresh, and family friendly. Join us in our culinary adventures-our kitchen is always open! 
My favorite party to throw has to be Halloween! Costumes, color scheme, so many different food/sweet possibilities and funny music, you can’t go wrong with all that!
Halloween for sure. It’s one of my favorite holidays! Although Christmas would be a cute idea, too! I usually do the desserts in our home.
My favorite party to throw is a holiday dessert party. I did it for years and love planning for weeks to Wow 100+ people…I could use some new ideas!
I love potlucks! but Birthdays are fun too!
I tweeted about your giveaway!
My favvorite type of party to throw is Halloween!
I shared your post on FB!
followed you on pinterest as well. can’t wait to explore your pin boards
so cute!! I follow you on everything and subscribe!
My favorite is Halloween. I get way to creative with it though!
My favorite kind of party to throw is a surprise birthday party!
I just love a backyard barbeque… for no reason at all!
My favorite type of party to throw is a birthday party! I love celebrating my friends and family
I am following you on pinterest!
Favorite kind of party to throw would be birthday…for the kiddo and nieces! Not so much for the adults in my life. But it’s so fun to bake and create fun, sweet treats for the kids.
I love throwing office parties – I am the unofficial “treat-bringer” for our department meetings (I’m a teacher) and my girls would just FLIP for some of the things I have seen out of this book – your cupcakes included!
Thanks for the giveaway!
Just tweeted about this giveaway!
Already follow you on Pinterest!
Giveaway shared!
(Although I don’t want more people to enter – I want to win!)
I follow Two Peas & a Pod on PINTEREST
It doesn’t really matter what type of party it is. I love to have people over and cook for them.
My favorite party to host is our annual Happy Birthanksmas party, held every year on the first Saturday of December! My husband and I created this party four and a half years ago to celebrate Thanksgiving, my birthday, and Christmas! Everyone looks forward to it and it is so much fun to have all of the different decorations out and enjoy time with all of our friends. Not to mention the food….yum!!
)
These are SO pretty Maria!!!! You are so talented!
I follow Two Peas and Their Pod on Pinterest!
I tweeted about the giveaway!
https://twitter.com/#!/Cupcake0628
I love throwing birthday parties!! You get to make it all about that one special person.
Christmas parties are pretty spectacular too. Actually, you know what? I love throwing any party – it doesn’t matter what kind!
I tweeted about the giveaway!
Definitely birthday parties! Making the cake is by far my favorite part.
I already follow Two Peas and Their Pod on Pinterest!
I love ufc fight night parties!
I m following you on pinterest
I love a good Super Bowl party. What a great excuse to eat all my favorite foods!
Ooo! I love birthday parties! They’re such a special time…and you can theme them whatever you want – classy, superhero, masquerade, cookouts, whatever!
My favorite kind of party is a shower!
I shared on facebook
I like to throw any kind of party! Don’t have a fave, just love to throw parties!
I love throwing baby or bridal showers!!
my favorite kind of party to throw are baby showers and bridal parties!!
My favorite party to throw is Halloween!!! It is my absolute favorite holiday, so I love celebrating it. Especially since you get to dress up in costume! I also LOVE all things associated with Halloween… the decorations, the “creepy” food, etc. so those parties are hands down my favorite
I follow Two Peas and Their Pod on Pinterest