This experiment came about when a friend challenged me to make a chocolate banana cake that would rival that of Future Bistro. My personal challenge was to get rid of various ingredients in my kitchen and put them all in one recipe. Making the cupcakes look like a banana split sundae was a last minute thing.

Strawberry Banana Chocolate Cupcakes (makes 30 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup butter
• 1 ¾ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 ¼ cup bananas; mashed
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• ¾ cup cocoa
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¾ cup strawberry yogurt
• Fluffy Vegan Buttercream (recipe below)
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips; melted
• 1 tbsp. butter or margarine
• walnuts, sprinkle to decorate
• 30 strawberries to garnish (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Cream butter with sugar and eggs.
3. Mix in bananas and vanilla.
4. Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt separately.
5. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 parts alternating with the yogurt. Begin and end with flour.
6. Pour into prepared cupcake wells and bake for 18-20 minutes. When cooled, pipe on frosting (recipe to follow). Add 1 tbsp of butter or margarine to the melted chocolate and drizzle over the frosting. Sprinkle with walnuts and sprinkles and top with a strawberry.

Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

• ½ cup shortening
• ½ cup butter; softened
• 3 ½ cups icing sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ¼ cup milk

Beat shortening and butter together. Add icing sugar and beat for about 3 minutes, scraping the sides. Add vanilla and milk and beat for another 5 minutes until fluffy, scraping the sides as needed.