Hummingbird Cupcakes

Recipe adapted from Joy of Baking

*1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped

*1.5 cups all-purpose flour

*1 cup packed light brown sugar

*1/2 teaspoon baking soda

*1/4 teaspoon salt

*1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

*1 large egg plus one white, lightly beaten

*1/2 cup canola oil

*1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

*half of an 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, barely drained

2 medium sized ripe bananas- mashed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place the rack in the center of the oven. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

2. Toast the walnuts on a baking sheet oven for about 8 minutes in the oven-until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop finely in food processor. Set aside. 3. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.In another large bowl, mix together the eggs, oil, vanilla extract, pineapple, mashed bananas, and finely chopped pecans. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir until combined. Fill the muffin tins with batter, about 3/4 of the way up. I only made 10 so I put a 1/2 inch of watre in two tins left empty so that the heat would distribute evenly. Bake for about 18 or 20 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. 4. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then remove the cupcakes from the pan and set on rack to cool completely before frosting.

Maggie's Go-To Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 pkg cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/2 stick butter, softened to room temperature

approx 2 cups confectioner sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Start with the cream cheese and butter in the mixer. Cream until blended and smooth- scrape down the sides and around the bottom of the bowl once or twice to avoid lumps. Then add vanilla and sugar- mix until combined and fluffy, just a minute or two. Fool proof and delicious on ANYTHING.

I made these cupcakes on Sunday because I had some ultra-ripe bananas sitting around. I usually make banana bread but we had friends coming to dinner so I needed a dessert idea instead. I halved a layer cake recipe for Hummingbird Cake (I've already halved it for you above) which I think would have come out great IF... I hadn't put baking powder (very likely expired baking powder at that) into the batter in place of baking SODA. Rookie mistake... I'm ashamed. Nonetheless the flavor was great, they were just a little on the dense side. I lovingly referred to them as "PuckCakes." (as in hockey puck) On the bright side I see this as an excellent excuse to make these again really soon.